What’s the definition of stupidity? Doing the same thing over and over thinking we’ll get a different result. Yet how often do we do this?
If something happens once, well there you go, when it happens twice it could be a co-incidence, but when it happens three times? That’s a pattern. So you might want to change something. Just tweaking it a bit may well give you a more pleasing outcome. A scientist wouldn’t dream of repeating an ineffective process over and over, just to see if it works the 20th time around!
If what you’re doing isn’t working, do anything else at all!
It never ceases to amaze me how people do the same thing over and over in relationships – whether they are new dates, or long term relationships. It’s like running the same route in a maze over and over, hoping the outcome will be different. The same is true of any area of life – work, play and study.
So here’s our challenge
What one thing could you do differently today – right here now – that would make a positive shift in the way you relate to your partner, (child, mother, sister, brother, or whoever)?
We want you to try something really simple to interrupt the pattern. For example, you could change the tone of your voice when you’re next asking them for something. If he always walks the dog, you do it. If you always meet in the same bar or restaurant, change the venue. If one of you always pays, let the other one do it. Try approaching your next interaction with that person from a position of wondering what you can do for them rather than what they can do for you.
Just tweak something – do it differently. Change is liberating.
Give it a go and then leave me a comment to let me know how you get on! I’d be really interested to hear the results. Did anything change?
