Okay, so technically this isn’t specifically bad marriage advice. But if your source is not reliable, then the advice should be taken with a grain (or pile) of salt.
Here is some advice that showed up in my In-box last week:
“The next time you find yourself in the middle of an absurd agreement with your partner.
You know that moment where you realize it’s pointless?
Here’s what you do:
Paste a wild smile on your face and begin agreeing.
“You’re right. I was very wrong for that”
The key is that you have to commit to saying it with a maniacal grin.
Then double down on agreeing – without losing the wild smile.”
And you know who provided this advice? A marketer!!!!!
I agree that you should find another path when you recognize you are in a pointless argument with your partner. However, this suggestion can put you in more hot water than the original argument.
Do This to Transform Your Wife’s Anger
"If you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may tend to its increase." Epictetus There’s a philosophy in several forms of martial arts that the path to success is to turn your foe’s energy against them. A similar idea will...
Is Your Wife Always Mad at You?
"Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable. David Augsberger Does it seem like no matter what you do, your wife always seems to be mad at you? If so, you’re probably hurt, confused, or frustrated. Or all...
Stop Accepting the Unacceptable from Your Wife
"Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable." Dennis Waitley Are there things happening in your marriage that aren’t okay with you? If you said “yes”, I have a question. Why are you allowing it? I’ve been thinking about...
Using humor to reset things is great. But that isn’t what this suggests. This approach can easily be interpreted as condescending and/or dismissive.
If the argument hasn’t gone too far, your partner may accept your “maniacal grin” as a repair attempt. But if she doesn’t see your interaction as “pointless”, she might very well feel that you aren’t taking it, or her, seriously.
AND, if you “admit” being wrong but don’t really mean it, you can do damage to your relationship. Because being disingenuous is disrespectful.
A marketer would not know this.
Marketing is not my field. (That’s a massive understatement.) I certainly don’t feel qualified to give any kind of advice about it.
Maybe this approach works in his relationship. But before trying it in yours, I recommend checking with your partner. If it’s a “no” from them, I would not use it.
So, who do you get your relationship advice from? And do you know that they know what they are talking about? Do you know how successful (or not) their relationships are?
If you want to know what really works, I invite you to have a conversation with me. Let’s talk.
Around the Web This Week
7 Critical Strategies to Improve Your Marriage
Far too many people believe that relationships are natural. You meet someone, fall in love, plan a life together and go on autopilot. This is not a prescription for success. That’s where many people find themselves at the beginning of every year. Wondering why their marriages are struggling and what, if anything, can be done to make them better. The simple answer is YES! Dr. Ronald Riggio, is here to let you in on how you can do just that.
