The Most Popular Piece Of Relationship Advice Is A Lie

Ladies, gents, and non-binary individuals – I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have been LIED to. Well, you have been lied to in my not-so-popular opinion at least. We have all been there… you are talking to someone about your relationship and you are offered a tidbit of “wisdom” from any given someone, probably someone you trust. You will hear this same phrase offered to you as advice over, and over, and over again. In fact, you will hear this little tidbit of “wisdom” so many times it will make you want to puke. I know it makes me want to puke at least, but that is because in my honest opinion it simply is not true. Don’t believe the lie my friends – never let someone make you believe that “communication is the key” to having a healthy relationship. Nope; uh-uh, WRONG, incorrect!

Now before you go rolling your eyes and thinking I’m bat-shit crazy because you have the ever popular opinion that is believed as truth, that communication IS the key; hear me out… Communication is nothing without comprehension. Read that again: communication is NOTHING without comprehension.

Having good communication with your partner is a good start, but that alone will not keep a relationship healthy.

When you hear the phrase communication is key you probably think that this means being able to effectively verbally communicate your thoughts and feelings to another person. What everyone needs to understand is that communication isn’t just verbal, we communicate through our body language, our facial expressions, our actions, and even our overall “attitude” toward any given person or situation. If you communicate in a way that your significant other either cannot or is not willing to comprehend, you can communicate until you are blue in the face, but it won’t get you anywhere…

Communication and comprehension go hand in hand, you need to have both to be able to effectively navigate difficult waters and to keep the good times rolling. Think of it this way – communication is the lock and comprehension is the key. In our relationships we need to be willing to listen and be attentive to comprehend the ways our partner communicates. Having both good communication and effective comprehension provides a solid foundation for a relationship to be built upon.

Have you ever been told that communication is the key to a healthy relationship? Let’s take a poll; which side are you on? Do you think communication alone is the key, or communication and comprehension together?