Guidelines & Tips

🧡 Write & Share about yourself (your feelings, perspective & inner world) & avoid implicating your spouse).

🧡 If you are tempted to take something personally, instead, consider what you're hearing as a treasure map- leading to how to come through for your spouse even better.

🧡 Most importantly, avoid the temptation to solve problems or issues. ****The sole (& soul) purpose sharing is to get to know each other. We’ll work through issues & problems with “Peace Talk” & “Love Seat.”

Instructions

1) Determine Subject Line Click here for options.

2) With the reading (if there is any) and subject in mind, write for 3 to 5 minutes.

3) After writing, exchange notebooks with each other and read each other's entry. (Remember the guidelines above.)

4) After reading entries, place journals (or notebook) where each of you can easily see each other's journals.

5) Partner “A” verbally shares. (Consider the following sentence starters, in any order):

• "What struck me about what I wrote”, or “what stood out for me was (or “is”) ________”.

• "What stood out for me (or struck me, or impressed me) about what you wrote was (or is) _____”

• "What I think I understand about you more is that ________" [Note: Make this uplifting- never critical]

• “What I think I understand more about myself is that ________”

Helpful phrases for listener and/or if a conversation develops

• “Tell me more about ______”

• “Tell me more about how that feels when ______________" etc.

• “Yes, that makes sense” and/or

• “I totally get how you would feel like that” etc.

6) Partner B shares, repeating #5 above.

Note that whatever conversation develops inside these steps (if any or if none) is perfect. P.S. Don't forget the Sharing Guidelines, toward the top of the page.