We hear it said all the time, but it bears repeating that communication can make or break a relationship. It’s important to know how to share information with your spouse, and avoid keeping them in the dark about things. Here are five things that you should never hide from your spouse if you want your relationship to work out well.
1. Illnesses or Diseases You May Be Suffering From
One of the most important things you should share with your spouse is any disease or illness that you might have. It doesn’t matter how embarrassed you feel it is, because if they love you, they will accept it and not hold it over your head. Doing this will also help you have someone close to help you if you need help, and generally offer assistance if you ever need it. With half of all Americans aged 30 years or more suffering from periodontitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you may find out that the disease you’re shy about is a lot more common than you know.
2. Your Likes and Dislikes
Don’t hold back about your likes and dislikes either. As you live together, it’s important for the one closest to you to know exactly what you like and what you don’t, so that you can live in harmony. Hiding the things that you like and those that you don’t will subject your spouse to guesswork and they won’t know what makes you angry and what makes you happy, which will lead to a lot of issues for you down the road.
3. Your Finances
With almost 7.2 million Americans, which is 2.8 million women and 4.4 million men admitting to having hidden a credit card or bank account from their spouse or partner, it’s clear that many people do this. It can lead to nasty fights down the road, however, so it’s important to be open about this information to the person with whom you want to build a future. This way, you will be able to start savings plans and work on financial goals as partners, which is the way it should be.
4. Family Issues
No family is perfect, even if it appears to be, so it’s important to keep this in mind when sharing things with your partner. If there is any family drama or an issue that your partner may end up being a part of in the future, it’s a good idea to let them know about it early on. It may not even be as bad as you assume that it is, so find a way to talk to them about it. Doing this could even help you find a way to more easily carry the burden, as a problem shared is a problem halved. The truth will eventually find its way out one way or another as well, and this will put you on the spot as your partner will wonder why you didn’t share this information with them.
5. Your Past
Finally, we all have a past, and if your partner wants to find out about yours, there’s no good reason to keep it hidden. While it’s advisable for each person to use their best judgment, someone who will judge you based on your previous relationships will probably have a lot of other issues apart from this. For this reason, share the information with them if they want to know, and you may be surprised to find that they don’t find it as embarrassing as you find it to be yourself.
Sharing these things with your spouse will improve your married lifestyle and likely help you develop a strong relationship that will withstand the test of time.