How Long Is Your “Ouch Time”?

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How long does it take you to know you’re unhappy when someone slights you?

Should you then say something immediately, or try to keep silent to maintain the peace? According to research, it is much better to speak up sooner rather than let things fester.

Couples who complain about things that bug them are less likely to end up in divorce court. And, BTW, women who approach men are more likely to get a compatible husband or boyfriend, compared to those who wait to get asked out.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival in June 2015 in the UK, Dr. Hannah Fry, who is married, said: “I would have thought a really high threshold of negativity, where you let things go on and let your partner ‘be themselves’ would be more successful, but the exact opposite is true. Partners who end up doing best speak up immediately and don’t let small things spill out of control.”

Laura Lee Carter, MA Counseling Psychology, the writer behind the popular online blog How to Believe in Love Again, has been helping others turn midlife difficulties into opportunities for personal change since 2007. Besides working as a psychotherapist, Laura Lee has authored a number of books and e-books on midlife transformation.  Don’t miss her new book: Find Your Reason to Be Here: The Search for Meaning in Midlife. Follow her on Twitter: @midlifequeen.