018: What to Do When Your Partner Doesn’t Support Your Dreams

In this episode of the Trust Issues podcast, we’re talking about what to do if your spouse or partner is not supportive.   This is the unfortunate reality for many of our listeners, and although we have never personally experienced this in our relationship, we have been together for almost 20 years (and experienced all of the ups and downs that come with building a life and business together).    If your partner doesn’t support your dreams, here are our best tips!  

Date Each Other Again

If your partner isn’t supportive, it’s time to back it up and start at square one. This means taking the time to date each other again, getting close, and having a rebirth moment in your marriage. It’s important to have a conversation about what you both want in life, what matters to you, and what your priorities are. This will help you get on the same page and understand each other’s goals and dreams.   It’s not just about bashing your spouse or partner. It’s important to look at yourself in the mirror and ask if you have brought something new to your spouse and just let it fall flat on its face… So they have reason to not be supportive, because you haven’t kept your word!   Sometimes you need to pump the brakes a little bit and start small steps, like dating and having real conversations that segue into larger ones.  

Communication Is KEY

In any relationship, it’s important to make sure that you are both okay and that you are both safe. This means taking care of each other and not making reckless decisions. Regularly having open and honest conversations about your goals, dreams, and priorities will help your partner understand you better and be supportive of you.   Something we have learned over the years is the importance of having a balance in our relationship. In different seasons, one of us has been more cautious while the other is more adventurous and pushing for change.   Like Kyle said, “The best metaphor I can think of for our relationship is that Erika is the bowling ball and I’m the bumpers. I keep her in the lane!”  

Build Trust With Follow-Through

A lot of times when a partner isn’t supportive of their significant other’s dreams, it’s because they don’t believe they will keep their word or think the dream is “just a phase.”   This is why following through on what you said you’d do is an essential component of building trust because it demonstrates reliability and consistency, which are vital for building and maintaining healthy relationships.   If you want to pursue a goal or dream, communicate it to your partner and make a plan to achieve it together. However, it is *crucial* that the plan is realistic, that both of you are on board with it, and you stick to your commitments! We hope our insights help you as you navigate being ambitious and also prioritizing your relationship… we’re cheering you on! And don’t forget to join the conversation on Instagram @trustissuespodcast with your own experiences.

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