There is no perfect relationship anywhere, except you don’t want to be realistic with yourself.
But you know what’s a big deal in relationships?
Respect.
Love brings respect to relationships naturally.
However, it’s not a one-time thing.
You have to keep watering and nurturing it like a plant.
When respect hangs out, trust, safety, and that feeling of being valued are seen at that table.
Now, let’s state the reality with respect, too.
Sometimes, in the zone of familiarity, one partner might accidentally trip and fall off the respect wagon.
It’s a thing.
But hey, it hurts the one feeling disrespected.
If you find yourself in that boat, resist the urge to start a disrespectful retaliation mission.
No hating or revenge plotting, seriously.
That’s like feeding the drama monsters in your relationship.
We’ve got better, healthier ways to handle this mess.
In this one, we are going to dissect how to deal with disrespect in a relationship.
Come along…
How To Deal With Disrespect In A Relationship
1. Identify how you’re being disrespected
Disrespect isn’t always in your face.
Sometimes, it’s more like the attack of termites.
It’s slow and secret in action.
It can come in dismissive comments, eye rolls, mocking, disregarding your boundaries or maybe even the silent treatment.
You need to observe and identify how the disrespect comes.
Pay good attention to whatever feels off.
Trust your instinct and look out for patterns.
Is there a trend of feeling unappreciated or like your opinions don’t matter?
That’s disrespect flashing at you.
Something is not right there.
Like turning on the light in a dark room, when your partner disrespects you, recognizing the way they are doing it is the first step to figuring out how to deal with it.
2. Communicate with your partner
You need to have a conversation, not just use actions like you are sending emojis.
Create a relaxing space where you and your partner can talk things out without worrying about judgment.
Be straight up about how you feel.
If something is hurting you, it’s not a good emotion to bottle it up; let it out.
Use words, not mind-reading skills.
Don’t be angry when talking to them.
Watch your tone and gestures.
Just speak to their understanding.
Avoid blaming them.
It is not a contest.
Share your side, listen to theirs, and figure out how to fix the glitch.
Make your communication like Wi-Fi, it works best when both devices are connected.
3. Set your boundaries
Setting boundaries is drawing your own personal line in the relationship sand.
Relationships need space, and that’s where boundaries come in.
Empowering your individuality, even as you empower the relationship, should be taken seriously.
You can do it this way.
Sit down with your partner and have a tête-à-tête.
Tell them about your no-go areas.
Let them know that if they step over these lines, it will become an issue.
Setting these boundaries does not mean you are building a fortress but that you are creating a comfortable space for both of you.
For example, if constant sarcasm feels hurting to your heart, make that clear to your partner.
Let your partner get to set their boundaries too.
It should be a mutual agreement to keep each other’s feelings safe and sound.
Boundaries are relationships’ guardrails that keep things moving smoothly without anyone crashing into emotional potholes.
4. Do a self-reflection
Give yourself a mental check-up.
Sit back, relax, and ask yourself, “Am I unintentionally adding some chaos to the mix?”
Consider how you communicate.
Are there ways you might be unknowingly pushing those disrespectful actions?
This is not to blame, it is to understand your own role in the relationship.
So, grab a mental mirror, look into your actions, and ask yourself if you are doing something not in agreement with your partner’s moves.
Being aware of your moves helps create a smoother relationship journey.
You don’t have to change who you are but tweak the steps to make sure you’re on the same page with your partner.
5. Be empathetic
You should show empathy to them.
We mean putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.
We know it can be tough to reason with someone who is disrespecting you.
But this is very important, especially if you want to understand why they are doing what they are doing.
You don’t have to agree on everything, but you need to understand how the other person feels.
When things get to this, and you’re not feeling good about it, take a moment.
Ask yourself how you would feel if you were in their situation.
It’s communicating with your feelings and then extending that understanding to your partner.
And it is best you encourage your partner to do the same.
When you both get the hang of this empathy, you’ve upgraded your relationship to a better version.
You will get each other in a whole new way.
6. Show them respect
You know, they say respect is reciprocal.
What you give is what you get because life is give-and-take.
Show your partner great respect first.
And don’t forget to give a shout-out to your partner when they do something respectful.
Not just saying “thanks” (although that’s cool too), but you really need to reciprocate the respect.
When both of you are in on this respect exchange, you are adding extra fuel to the relationship engine.
You will be soaring.
7. Reignite trust
Now, as you are building this relationship with love, disrespect comes along, and karate-chopped a few blocks out.
And some part of the building gets affected, right?
Now, reigniting trust is the art of stacking those blocks back up.
It requires a consistent effort.
You start small by doing the things we have mentioned in this post.
Share your feelings, and let your partner in on your struggles.
Actions speak louder than words, my friend.
So, do things that show you’re serious about rebuilding.
And don’t forget the place of patience.
Trust-building takes time.
Conclusion
As I mentioned earlier, tackling disrespect doesn’t mean going into revenge mode.
It’s like facing a wild sea, you don’t run straight into it.
We’ve got some healthy ways to deal with this, and we have laid them out for you.
Handle it all with love.
When disrespect knocks on your door, show some maturity.
Let your partner know you’re not vibing with what’s going down.
But if you’ve done the love thing, talked it out, and still, nada changes, it’s time for a relationship reality check.
Maybe it’s time to reconsider the whole thing.
Your peace of mind is non-negotiable.
Whatever you do, please, be good and be safe.