Election Season and Your Relationship
It’s no secret that politics can divide us. We live in a time when there is a great divide between the left and the right.
It’s hard to believe we are heading into another election season within the next year. If it’s making you want to run and hide, don’t worry, you aren’t alone in this!
Our romantic relationships are supposed to be our safe zone. This person, more than anyone else, should be the one to make us feel secure amidst all of the crazy happening. If life were perfect, we would all match up with someone whose political viewpoints align with ours. Unfortunately, that is sometimes hard to come by.
If you are dreading politics season because of opposing viewpoints with your partner, don’t let the anxiety over this get to you too much. Thankfully, there are ways to handle differing political views with your partner.
Drinking and Debating Don’t Ever Mix…Ever
It doesn’t matter if it’s you and your spouse. Or you and that crazy uncle of yours at the family dinner table. Or your spouse and some random person they met at the bar. Drinking and debating are never a good combination.
If you find that your spouse’s political viewpoints are already frustrating, be sure to avoid this topic if you are having a drink with them. Alcohol has a way of intensifying many feelings and thoughts, so that spirited debate could very well turn into a heated explosive one.
Set Boundaries
If you and your partner hold polar opposite views on a particularly important topic, make sure it is always off the table for discussion. No matter how much you want each other to see your viewpoint, it likely won’t ever get to the point where you change the other person’s mind. Respect that in some areas, you will never see eye to eye. And that’s ok.
If you prefer different news stations that seem to lean differently from one another, don’t let this come between you. If someone wants to watch the news, the other person can go elsewhere in the house to avoid it. You don’t have to agree with their viewpoints, but you do have to respect that they have them.
Avoid Sharing Articles Or Links With One Another
Consider the source of what you are sharing with one another. You share an article with them, thinking it’s a great source of information for them to learn about a subject. And they scoff at you or get upset. To you, it’s a fantastic piece. But for them, it’s just pushing an agenda or viewpoint they don’t believe in. The same goes for them for you. Even if it’s unintentional, bias is very much real. Reliable news sources are often seen as something other than that if it’s coming from a different political landscape.
Think About Your Phrasing Carefully
Don’t approach your partner’s viewpoints from the lens of, “They are so completely wrong about this!” This translates to never using phrases like, “How could you even think that.” What this does is undermine and undervalue their personal opinions about a subject matter. Instead, try to use more gentle phrases, such as “It’s difficult for me to understand your position on this…”
Bottom Line
Politics divides, but love should conquer all. If you and your partner are continually arguing about politics, it might be best to avoid it altogether.
If politics has completely unraveled and unnerved your relationship, don’t hesitate to reach out for couples therapy. Together, we can find ways to stop the political divide from tearing your household up.
