The Financial Crisis and Your Marriage
Stress and anxiety about the future can wreak havoc on your relationship. This financial crisis ranks high on the Richter scale of calamitous events. In fact, conflicts about money takes second place to infidelity as a cause of marital stress.
Not only might you be worried about your jobs but also fear the loss of retirement funds. Having both of you wondering around the house, as one of you looks for a new job, may seem like a nightmare. This becomes even more dramatic when all of your colleagues are looking for the same type of job.
This kind of on-going stress kicks off reactions similar to the drops that your eye doctor puts in your eyes during an examination. As you read the magazine and the drops do their job, you realize you cannot focus on the print. You pupils have been dilated and now you only see fuzzed up images.
Likewise, under financial stress, you may have trouble focusing on your mutual strengths to deal with crisis. Instead of getting out your spread sheets to look at how to cut back, you may find yourself slipping into the “if onlys” and feelings of shame and guilt. Your self-condemnation may lead you to imagine your spouse is feeling equally upset wit you. You may find yourself becoming quite reactive to almost anything that your spouse says related to money. You may hear any reference to your job search process as a criticism.
Staying afloat and married during the rapids of a financial crisis requires resilience, good communication, and trust. Read further to find more tips on strengthening your marriage during the onslaught of this economic tsunami.
