Talking Shmalking

Like clockwork, apps and calendars gently remind us of our home maintenance tasks. They do for me, anyway. In the Northwest, that means traversing pitched rooves with waist-tied ropes to sprinkle moss killer in October and to pressure wash winter’s green hues from the siding, reinforce sky lights’ seals, and replace rotten boards in April through June.

It’s been a month, so Todoist reminds me to clean the clothes washers’ drain. Thankfully, I added the item last month; a bunch of feathers from a down-filled cushion and a tint of rotten egg stink made a bleachy self-clean cycle and freeing the feathers from the trap a must.

How similar relationship maintenance is.

Even though maintenance is beneficial, what keeps us from doing it? Especially when misunderstandings, defensiveness, and through-the-roof emotions aren’t fun.

Maybe we don’t know. Maybe history gets in the way. Maybe trying something new is scary.

All that to say, old dog, is that you can learn new tricks.

I’m a fan of talking about talking. Like: “When I said that, what did you hear?” Or “How can I better communicate?”

Communication is a two-way street, and success is not only being understood but in also understanding the other.

Be nice, take care of yourself, and have a very Merry Christmas Eve.

Love. Jaclynn