Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing. ~Theodore Roosevelt
I picked that quote because in order for you to apply GOOD PRESSURE, you will need to face your deepest fear. And that is, "Man, I must have totally f*cked this up! Not only am I failing her - I must BE a failure!"
Now, you're also afraid of divorce. You're afraid of losing the love of your life. You're afraid of how the kids will be affected as well as your living conditions. your dog and your 401K. But the deepest fear and shame men have is that they aren't strong enough or good enough to keep this from happening.
So, let me let you off the hook now. You did not cause all of this. This is not all your fault and it's very likely this situation was not entirely preventable. Stop beating yourself up right now. Save your energy for the GOOD PRESSURE.
Good Pressure = Calm, deliberate, confident and unapologetic declaration of your values.
Instead of desperately seeking affirmation from her that you're not a failure and you're getting a divorce, I want you to seek a new source of personal strength, confidence and calmness.
This will require you to walk directly into the fear. This will not kill you and you will not die. No matter what the final outcome is with her request for space, you are still 100% YOU - 100% capable of happiness, love and laughter without her assistance or permission.
Instead of believing you are losing half of yourself and everything you've known, I want you to slap yourself in the face and remind yourself that you were 100% when you met her. It's from THIS PLACE that you can apply GOOD PRESSURE.
What does that sound and look like?
Instead of questions, it sounds like declarations and looks like personal conviction.
"I get it. I need space too sometimes. Take all you need. I'm not going anywhere."
"I love you enough to let you get what you need. And I love myself enough to not freak out over it."
"I trust you to take care of yourself. And I trust you to maintain the integrity of our marriage as you do so."
"Sometimes connection requires separateness. We both need to be strong enough to realize that without taking it personally."
"I won't stand in the way of your happiness. I want that more than I need you to make me happy."
*****
A client once said, "Holy crap, I'm not Jesus or Buddha! This hurts!"
I know it hurts. It hurts right now...but it won't always hurt. And the sooner you learn there is way through this, the better. It's not just a process of "surviving"...it a process of growing up.
It's a process of learning stuff about being a man your dad never taught you. You weren't ready to learn this stuff until this window of pain cracked you open. Your path to long term happiness, confidence and self-reliance must come through other men who have traveled the path already.
I want to invite you onto this path with me and hundreds of initiated men who want to support you.
You can initiate yourself by starting with my book, Straight Talk Tools for the Desperate Husband If, for any reason, you can't spend the $7.99 for the Kindle version just tell me. I'll send you a free PDF version.
And, this just in. We had THREE unexpected cancellations for the May 27-30 Confident Man Ranch Retreat. (one of those got filled yesterday). So, there are TWO OPEN SPOTS. Tim Wade and I would LOVE to have you join us. We use the horses to help you understand what BAD/GOOD PRESSURE is and how to use it correctly in
your relationship to horses...and women.
One guys last year said, “The retreat was just what the doctor ordered – full of camaraderie, good food and drink, laughter, outdoors, and learning. Learning about horses, yes, but more importantly learning about myself, the importance of masculine connections and the necessity of taking care of myself other than just physically.” -Mike
C.
Click this link to read more about it and see some great pictures!
Lotta love,
Steve