Compromise

This year has really been one of compromise. Shockingly I haven't had any major issues with it, but I foresee this being an on-going thing. Mainly when it comes to money and trips.

I think in our relationship we both have very specific ideas on what is considered splurging and what isn't. Thusly when it comes to saving and overall money management things get interesting.

Now I definitely did more travelling in 2009 than I did in 2008, but I plan to get good and ignorant with the travelling in 2010.

There are definitely some things that Sweets and I have on the docket(most definitely a trip to JA amongst other things), Ana and I have been dancing around a girl's trip--which I'm naming and claiming in '10, I'd like to see DC at least twice, I want to try out the Pod hotel in NYC, I also foresee a trip with the Smiths, Mom doesn't know it but she and I are doing ATL at some point, and I think I might end up taking my own weekend trip to see how crazy I drive myself.

All-in-all I want my suitcase in constant rotation.

Here is where the compromise part comes in.....I don't mind travelling within a budget. I, of course, prefer to be able to go anywhere and do everything, but if I have enough to buy dinner than I don't mind just walking around and taking in the free sights etc. Sweets, at times, feels like we should hold off on trips if we won't be able to do everything we'd like, due to finances. I've come to realize that if I wait until I have the finances to do things then the only thing I will have done...is wait.

So of course I googled some suggestions on how best to work on your compromising skills in a relationship and here is what I found....Thoughts?

Step 1
Set emotions aside. When seeking to compromise on an issue in a relationship, the first thing you must do is leave emotions out of the conversation. You need to be able to logically look at the situation and think about what you need instead of what you want.
Step 2
Weigh the pros and cons of the situation. When you are in a situation that calls for compromise, each person is seeking the opposite solution. Each person needs to write down the pros and cons of what they want, and then they need to compare their list to the list of the other person. This will help you measure the goals that you have in common and perhaps help you to find a middle ground.
Step 3
Remember to think of yourself as a couple and not as individuals. The most stubborn people fail to think of the couple as a unit, but as two individuals. You will never be able to compromise if you are only thinking about yourself.
Step 4
Pick your battles. There will be times when you feel so strongly about a topic that you do not want to compromise. If you are willing to compromise 99 percent of the time, those times when you feel too strong to budge on a issue, your spouse may be more willing to give in.
Step 5
Be happy with the outcome and don’t linger on what you may have “lost.” Compromise is not a game of winning and losing. It is a win-win situation. You are doing what is best for you as a couple and it will be beneficial to your future. Once the decision in made, let go of any emotions that may cause you to be unhappy with the decision.