Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship because it allows the partners to connect on an emotional level which is the deepest of all. Our emotions can cement us to other people, memories, and experiences. However, the only way we can achieve such levels of connection is through an intentional process called self-disclosure.
This episode of Communicate to Motivate focuses on a core element of relationships: being vulnerable and sharing information with your partner. Social scientists would define self-disclosure as gradually revealing feelings and personal experiences in conjunction with reciprocal sharing. This allows for a greater level of understanding and a stronger level of trust between partners. The process works similarly with friendships and work relationships just with varying levels of self-disclosure. Jane from accounting does not need to know about your personal feelings on the death penalty.
Self-disclosure allows both people in the relationship to reveal truths about themselves, which hopefully leads down a path to their core and true essence of their personality. We are a mixture of past events and experiences. These shape our personality and mold us into the people we have become today. Some experiences are positive and uplifting, and others we wish we could forget; but each part is a chapter in our story. We need to allow our romantic partners into the parts of our life we have kept closed for quite some time so we can connect like never before. We can also allow friends into deeper parts of our personality and self without going as far as our significant others. The point is that mutual sharing happens past superficial, everyday conversation topics.
With divorce rates holding steady at 50% in this country, self-disclosure can be a positive way to save relationships. There is no doubt we may be physically attracted to someone but the emotional attraction will allow the relationship to flourish for decades to come. We need more open and honest communication (free from judgment and critique) so people truly ‘see’ the core of the person they are spending their lives with. Check out the newest episode on Self-Disclosure on all your podcast platforms.