Please – No Drama

Please, no drama! If you’ve spent anytime swiping left or right on a dating site, you know this statement is common.

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Please, no drama! If you’ve spent anytime swiping left or right on a dating site, you know this statement is common. I don’t know why, though. To me, it translates into “I want to find someone to date, but I don’t want to find someone to date.” How have I arrived at this interpretation of this one-liner? Well, where on this earth are you going to find someone who doesn’t produce some sort of drama? Furthermore, I would say it’s Imperative that one evaluates the amount of drama that they produce before demanding a drama-free partner.

Personally, I low-key cringe when I see little statements like this. However, that’s not to say that I don’t understand why some make this request. Perhaps they had a long arduous relationship with a narcissist, or perhaps their last relationship was so incompatible that all they did was fight.

Been there myself and quite frankly, it’s exhausting. So, it’s no wonder people are keen on finding a “drama-free” relationship. But can we really end up in a drama- free scenario with another human being? As far as I can tell, the answer is
“maybe.” By the way, those relationships I was in? I brought my own “drama” to the table. We all do.

4 fundamentals for authentic love

However, I’m inclined to lean more towards the answer “no.” I just don’t think that humans are that angelic. It should go without saying, we humans are flawed and are subject to spectrum of behaviors based on experience, temperament, and genetics. In other words, if there is a drama-free person out there, they would be a rarity to say the least. In fact, they would be so rare a find that they would have to be a saint.

Let’s be honest here: life is hard – a reality that no one is immune from. This includes the people that are looking for a person with a drama-free portfolio.

So, then, what’s a person to do? Well, stay single of course? While there’s nothing wrong with this option if you want it, it is problematic if you are one who’s looking for love.

8 signs your relationship is hurting your mental health.

What I have to say next is the definition of cliché, but it is true. In order to find love, you must love yourself. Blah, right? Trending buzzwords make me cringe. However, queasy as it may be, your ability to improve how you feel about yourself is the first piece to finding a healthy relationship.

Essentially, what we are talking about here is self-awareness. Imagine, you make you a priority. Not in a self-centred sense, but rather, in a way that allows you to evaluate what areas of yourself you need to work on.

For instance, say you clam up whenever you are confronted with a serious conversation. If so, here we have a behaviour that most relationships can’t function with. If you find this sounds like you, face it head-on! How? Honestly, the best way is through therapy, a good life coach or taking a communications course.

The basics in good communication

Believe it or not, there are more effective ways of communicating to others. I know that many may think that they are silly. Regardless of how you feel about them, they do, nonetheless, work. Below are but a few to get you started.

1. I-statements

No, they are not ways for you talk incessantly about yourself. Rather, they are a non-confrontational way of expressing how you feel about something or someone’s behaviour.

“I feel angry when you _____________; or I feel sad when because _____________.

Active listening

Give the person you are communicating with your full attention. One trick I like to use is to pretend to be an audience member: listening to the keynote speaker. Essentially, those who you are listening to are the world’s leading authority on the subject of themselves. You are there to learn what it is they are passing on.

Feedback

And finally, provide feedback that validities their thoughts and feelings.

So, you’re feeling sad because I __________? Or, what I hear you saying is I made you feel angry because I did ___________?

We communicate better when we follow up with something like:

“I can see that you are really bothered by what I’ve said/done. What can I do to make it better?”

Now, you can listen to our posts – go to our Audio blogs page.

As you can see, this method of communication is open-ended. In other words, it doesn’t limit the response you get. Similarly, it’s just plain kinder and therefore, minimizes defensiveness and yelling.

Front and back cover of the road to mental wellness - 8 sings your relationship is hurting your mental health.
Want to get the complete Audiobook version Free! Go to our Homepage and use the Scriber form to receive our newsletter. Boom the book is yours.

In layman’s terms, this communication style allows for open and honest, non-aggressive communication which can take a relationship to another level of intimacy. And one of its other amazing benefits? It allows a couple to manage and deal with the drama that comes standard with human beings.

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Jonathan Arenburg

Jonathan Reginald-Nixon Arenburg (Born January 14, 1976) is a Canadian mental health blogger, speaker, and published author. Retired from the fire service and long-term care fields, he has written and self-published an autobiographical account of his life-long battle with anxiety, depression and more recently, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Titled, The Road To Mental Wellness, he wrote it for what he calls “therapeutic release.” He published it in hopes it would help others going through similar mental health conditions. The sales of The Road To Mental Wellness have been steady selling over 300 copies since its release on October 10, 2021(World Mental Health Day). Arenburg has also been involved in a collaborative publication Called Lemonade Stand Volume III, a book featuring 20 authors who bravely tell their stories of PTSD. All authors where from the military and or emergency services. Published by Joshua Rivedal and Kathleen Myers for the i’Mpossible project, a mental health advocacy organization. Jonathan has also appeared on several mental health podcasts including The Depression Files, A New Dawn, and The Above Ground Podcast Arenburg has also consulted with the Government of Nova Scotia and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, the Honorable Brian Comer and Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada, on improving the mental health care system in Canada. Additionally, Jonathan was recognized in The Nova Scotia Legislature by the Honorable, Chris Palmer, Kings-North MLA, for his Book, The Road To Mental Wellness, his fight to make the mental health care system better. In addition, Chis acknowledged the support he gives to others.

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