12 Football Sundays.
“Sometimes arguments are symbolic,” says Tessina. One great example of this is the classic Sunday football argument, when one spouse prefers to spend their free time doing what they want (like watching football) instead of compromising and finding something enjoyable for both them and their partner. In doing this, the partner with no say in the matter feels like they and their opinions are falling by the wayside, as if they don’t matter.
If a surface argument like this has a deeper meaning, “it definitely helps to let your partner know what the symbolic meaning is to you,” says Tessina. “These struggles are only insurmountable if you don’t understand why you’re arguing, or what you’re really arguing about.” And if you and your partner are struggling to find activities that you can do together, try some of The 50 Best Bonding Activities for Married Couples.
13 Where the leftovers went.
Your spouse knew you were saving those leftovers, so why would they go ahead and help themselves anyway? To be fair, you have every right to be annoyed, but at the end of the day, food is just food, and something so minuscule doesn’t deserve your energy. If your partner eating your leftovers is a recurring problem, then it might help to talk to them about boundaries and asking before eating—just so long as your approach is unaggressive and doesn’t point any fingers.
