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Joined: Jan 2010
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Jackblack, where did you suddenly appear from?

This is gold, pure gold.

I am struggling mightily right now to do a good "plan A". Everything you say here is spot on, but difficult to execute. How in the hell can I be upbeat, funny, loving, and good ol Dave when this person is intent on ripping my family apart? How can I act strong and confident when I know she doesn't want to be in the same room with me?

Like I say, this is very difficult to execute.
Originally Posted by Jackblack
When people get trapped into the cycle of jealousy, despair and confusion, going round and round like okg has... they end up focusing all their energy on the "Drama" and none of it on growing, restoring, or nurturing a healthy relationship. The fact is, we become our worst selves, with the worst sides of our nature on full display. When we're like that, we're "Ugly" not "Attractive"...

It's almost as if one simply "ceases to be" the man that attracted the lady to begin with. So if the relationship is suffering, or is up in the air, instead of getting all heavy and constantly dramatic (and a raging ball of insecurity), you need to pull the plug on that heavy crap and revisit the "you" that first put a smile on her face, made her consider you "for life", and all that...

It's a simple fact. Women are not generally attracted to that kind of insecurity, uncertainty, and drama... and especially not in a relationship! e.g. if you're that insecure about HER you are not confident enough to protect your mutual "nest"...


If they're already beginning to pull away, the constant drumbeat of drama will only drive them further.
Start behaving in ways that make you sexy in her eyes.... find out what turns her on, and encourage those feelings to return.. if she's being made to laugh often, and feels adored it'll almost always rekindle those feelings. You don't waste any effort on rehashing the drama... you behave confidently. Unconcerned with that, because you know you're "her man"... I promise that attitude will give her pause!

Reinforce her decision to be with you without ever talking about it. Certainty sometimes needs occasional reinforcement. If we just blow out and get ugly, it's exactly the opposite of what's needed. You probably never once have to address the "issues". Just change her mind......... she won't even know what hit her. smile

If you're steady on, they'll feel good and stick by you. If you go off in a panic, do a total meltdown, they're left asking "who's going to take care of me??" They'll eventually start looking for "someone"... that's for sure...

I think an excellent place to start is by following closely the EN article on conversation:

>>>>"Conversation fails to meet this need when (1) demands are made, (2) disrespect is shown, (3) one or both become angry, or (4) when it is used to dwell on mistakes of the past or present. Unless conversation is mutually enjoyable, a couple is better off not talking to each other at all. An unpleasant conversation not only fails to meet the emotional need, but it also makes it less likely that there will be an opportunity to meet the need in the future. That's because we tend to prevent our spouse from meeting our needs if earlier attempts were painful to us."<<<<

I have found with every woman I have known "Unless the conversation is mutually enjoyable" she will not lesson to a single word that is said.
Run every word you are about to say through that conversation filter and you will be surprised at the result.

It surprised me that's for sure. The change was dramatic.

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Jackblack is giving you some good stuff. Read it twice and then three times.

Quote
I'm not sure I want her if she really believes some of the ___ she's fed me from those books. (Not to say everything in those books is bad, just that she has used them to justify selfishness and lack of compassion.)

You are what you eat. You are what you read. And it takes time to change minds. Give it time.

You go buy His Needs - Her Needs by Willard Harley. Do buy Love Busters. Read both of them. Leave them laying around as you read them. Curiosity killed the cat, remember? She may read both of them to find stuff she can use to confess your sins.

Never mind that, she will also start brain washing herself.

Put on your big boy pants. Be the leader. Show her the way. She sounds like a follower. Ok, you can learn and do the job you need to do, right? Life is about living, life isn't fair, life is hard. Man up and do what you gotta do.

Guys HATE to read relationship books. Do it anyway.

Larry

Joined: Mar 2010
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Schtoop, if you get hit by a truck you are going to feel it. Only an idiot would put a happy face on it.

If my wife had a physical affair, I would be furious.

Eventually I would have to calm down. If she was still here, at some stage I would have to begin to speak to her more civilly. There seems to be at this point an insatiable desire to know every detail of the affair. This is futile.

At some point I would have to put �conversation� of the affair to one side. Not to forgive or to forget but for my own sanity and to enable myself to function rationally. With the conversation of the affair to one side, some sort of normality should return. I could then plan and decide on the future.

The question to my wife would be, �You have destroyed our family. What are You going to do about it?�

Your power here is that you can end the relationship at any time. Maybe today or tomorrow or decide later.
I do not think you can take this option off the table.

This is just me. Its not a plan nor advice.



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Originally Posted by Jackblack
Schtoop, if you get hit by a truck you are going to feel it. Only an idiot would put a happy face on it.

If my wife had a physical affair, I would be furious.

Eventually I would have to calm down. If she was still here, at some stage I would have to begin to speak to her more civilly. There seems to be at this point an insatiable desire to know every detail of the affair. This is futile.

At some point I would have to put �conversation� of the affair to one side. Not to forgive or to forget but for my own sanity and to enable myself to function rationally. With the conversation of the affair to one side, some sort of normality should return. I could then plan and decide on the future.

The question to my wife would be, �You have destroyed our family. What are You going to do about it?�

Your power here is that you can end the relationship at any time. Maybe today or tomorrow or decide later.
I do not think you can take this option off the table.

This is just me. Its not a plan nor advice.

I'm past all the talk of the affair and wondering about the details. I know enough and have no interest in the sordid details. We have even gotten past the affair coming up in conversations.

You say I have the power, but it's like having your finger on the red button that starts nuclear armageddon. What she is going to do about it is still up in the air. She claims she really doesn't know if she wants to try to work things out. If she had to make the choice today, both me and our MC are certain it would be divorce. Normalcy is far from returning. There is constant tension and awkwardness when we are together, no matter how hard I try to meet her needs.

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Schtoop
Marriage problems involving adultery are always going to be difficult. I do not think there is a one fit formula for this.
From what I have read here, even Plan A has very little success and probably even less with women. It possibly is more of a personal development program.

If you do not have normality after this time I would seriously look at what you are doing.

All women know adultery is bad, often they will have trouble forgiving themselves. It may seem surprising but many feel they should be somehow punished, this could be by being divorced.
If they are given easy acceptance and forgiveness they can find this very confusing, even unacceptable.

If you are constantly telling them you love them and running around after them, this makes no sense to them. Rewarding them for adultery seems ridiculous to them.

If you are looking to normalise the relationship you may need to start acting normal.
I would first of all stop trying to meet all her needs until she has made a major turn around. I can not see how you can in any normal circumstance be offering love and admiration to a person that has just committed adultery. I would suggest you back off and relax a bit.

I understand your commitment to your family and that is good. You will now need to let the chips fall as they will. Giving her confusing messages will only make things worse.

Try to be real. If you want the good o Dave back you are going to have to ease up on yourself. You have done nothing wrong. You are not the one that needs to be trying. Go out and play golf, let her make own cups tea if you know what I mean.

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