Meeting people in a similar phase has always been a way to share experiences, give advice, and grow together...
Meeting people in a similar phase has always been a way to share experiences, give advice, and grow together. If you are in a marriage and want to make your marriage better through peer advice and shared experiences, you can try to become friends with other couples. Becoming friends with them doesn't generally come easy because of the limited opportunities to meet couples in the same place. Therefore, you can consider attending social gatherings where you are sure couples will attend, like weddings, children's naming ceremonies, or online couples' meets.Once you and your partner connect with the couples from the events, you can try to keep up relations by meeting with them again. Usually, friendship doesn't happen immediately; it may happen from continued exposure to each other. So, you can push for a more involved relationship where you meet regularly. When befriending the couples, ensure that you respect their time, privacy, and space. Even though they may be friendly and accommodating to you, it would be nice to give yourselves some mental boundaries. Don't push for things they have told you to drop.You can consider these tips if you want to become friends with other couples:
When you go to events with your partner and share a thought to become friends with other couples, you will likely make plans for how to do so. The plans will help you easily navigate the social environment and find friends fast. To make friends quickly, you can try to listen more than you talk. Instead of imposing your desires about friendship on other people, it's better to listen to them. You will be able to learn a lot about their marriage dynamics and if you can relate with them. If you can't relate to their marriage, you will know not to connect.
If you find couples you like, try to tone down your intentionality about being friends. Instead, talk about mundane things with them like how you run your house, jokes about a home, or funny stories about the kids. If you only talk about being friends with them, it may creep them out. And with every round you make around the event, remember that quality is vital. Try not to focus on getting as many couple friends as possible. You should instead try to make great friends. If you can only find a couple whose lives resonate with yours, that's awesome.
After connecting with people, it's essential to follow up so you can keep the recent memories fresh. Asides from the professional world where this is done, you can also do it when you want to become friends with other couples because of the effectiveness. When you are done with the meeting, you can connect with the couple on social media for continued conversation. Doing this ensures that they can have you in their online profiles before they forget the memories of leaving you. Based on your conversation with them at the event, you can suggest meeting at various places.
For example, if they mentioned they loved watching fish at the event, you can invite them to an aquarium for a double date. You can also pay them a visit if they agree to it, ensuring a continued flow of physical communication. If you don't want to burden them with a visit, you can invite them to your home for dinner.
Being a friend means respecting the other person's time and space whenever they want it. If you weren't conscious of doing this before, you might need to learn how to when you want to become friends with other couples. One way to do it is to give them your undivided attention whenever you are together. Inviting them for dinner and leaving them to deal with work or watch a show can be a horrifying affair. Hence, be sure to clear your schedule before spending time with them.Also, when you invite them for an event or occasion, and they tell you they can't come, don't pester them. Just let it go and tell them it's no problem. Being forceful will earn you no friends; instead, you should be gentle and respect their space when they don't want to go out. Similarly, you can respect their time by making sure to inform them whenever you are running late for any of your meetings. Be it text, call, or a pigeon messenger, ensure that they receive it alongside your reason for being late, your location, and estimated arrival time.
Close-mindedness is a more common characteristic in people than open-mindedness due to the years of conditioning from various aspects of life. And meeting new people may require being open to their kind of life, so you should consider being open if you want to become friends with other couples. A great way to push yourself to be open-minded is to create doubts in your mind about your thought processes and experiences. When the new couple friends tell you about something they think is fun, rather than say no because you believe it's not fun, try to create doubts about whether it could be fun.The doubts in your mind will help you gain a foothold that will make you want to clear the doubts. To remove the doubts, you will need to try to experience what they suggested, allowing you to make new memories. You can also consciously try to get things from their perspective. When talking about different topics, you may discover that they have different opinions from you in various fields. Instead of shunning or shaming them for it, you can try their perspectives to find their reasons.
When all comes and goes, you and your partner will always be each other's companions. Therefore, even when you want to become friends with other couples, it's essential that you are yourselves. Also, trying to be fake versions of yourselves will only attract people that like the fake versions. An efficient way to be yourselves is to not care about other people's thoughts about you. You and your partner are different from other people. The way they will look at things will be different from your way.
Hence, you shouldn't judge yourself based on their thoughts. Also, you should try to know yourselves deeply to appreciate all the significant parts in your lives. Doing so will help you see how unique your marriage is and how you don't want to trade it for another version. If you meet any couple that wants you to change drastically in a way you don't fancy, don't try to conform to their desires. Make sure you express your feelings to them about their planned change. And if they persist, be sure to desist from hanging out with them.
The stages in life weren't created to be traversed alone. When you become friends with other couples, you can share happy moments with them and keep each other's marriage on the right path of accountability. You can make friends with them by connecting at social events, scheduling meeting times outside social events, respecting their time and space, being open to new experiences, and being yourselves.
https://www.themuse.com/amp/advice/how-to-network-at-social-event
https://www.theorderexpert.com/time-management-tip-how-respect-other-peoples-time/
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-make-new-couple-friends-5221307
https://www.theunconventionalroute.com/be-open-minded/
https://www.tonyrobbins.com/personal-growth/how-to-be-yourself/
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and owner of Overcomers Counseling. I'm dedicated to helping individuals find strength and healing through life’s challenges. With a deep understanding of mental health and years of professional experience, I specialize in fostering hope and resilience while equipping her clients with tools to thrive. Passionate about empowering others, she creates a safe, supportive space where everyone feels seen, valued, and capable of overcoming obstacles on their path to well-being.
Common mistakes include neglecting personal growth, failing to communicate openly, not respecting boundaries, and overlooking the importance of individual interests.
Couples counseling timelines can vary depending on the issues specifically being addressed to you and your partner, and the kind of progress that is being made in counseling or therapy. Our therapists will regularly assess your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed.
There are a few key indicators that can help you to tell if your relationship is emotionally healthy. First, do you and your partner feel safe communicating with each other? Do you feel like you can express your emotions freely, without judgment or criticism? Are there mutual respect's needs and boundaries? Are you both willing to compromise when necessary? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then it's likely that you have an emotionally healthy relationship.
While it can be challenging when one partner isn't on board with working on the relationship, it's important to have open and honest communication. Express your feelings and why it's important to you to work on the relationship. It may also be helpful to seek the guidance of a therapist to work through any issues or to navigate the situation.
During your first couples counseling session, your therapist will likely gather information about your relationship history, current challenges, and individual backgrounds. They may also ask about your goals for therapy and what you hope to achieve. This initial session serves as an opportunity for you and your partner to become comfortable with the therapist and begin building trust in the therapeutic process.
The length of therapy can vary depending on the couple's needs and the specific issues being addressed. Some couples might find a few sessions helpful, while others may continue for several months.
