Accommodate Growth

Tree rings in Taxodium distichum wood (bald cypress) 4
by James St. John 

From Gottman Institute, wisdom about HOW we can be open, encouraging, and supportive of our partner's growth:

Relationships can be more than two people coming together—they can be stories of transformation, contribution, and meaning in the world. When two people come together, the only constant in the relationship is change. Amazing things happen when a couple can grow and change together.

How have you grown and changed throughout the course of your relationship? Accommodate growth in your relationship by making it safe for your partner to share the unfamiliar and by being truly curious about the growth they are experiencing. Creating a safe space to share your interior worlds with each other is a ritual of connection, and rituals like these can keep you connected.

When individuals grow, relationships grow. When individuals transform, relationships transform.

To open up the conversation around growth and shared meaning, ask your partner these questions: 

How do you feel you have grown the most? In what areas?

What rituals of connection can we develop together?

What carries you through your most difficult times?

How can I support you in your own personal growth?