Have you ever seen a long-standing relationship end seemingly out of the blue?

Perhaps you have known someone in that situation, or perhaps that is what happened to you.

In episode number 30 of Real Talk 4 Real Men, we look at how a relationship breakdown can happen without us ever really being aware that there was a serious problem.  Sure, we know the relationship is not perfect, but you didn’t think it was THAT bad.

This hints at an all-too-common proble …

Relationships Break Down By Stealth

Way back in episode number 4 of Real Talk 4 Real Men, we spoke with Phil Sherwood. Married for 28 years, his marriage wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t toxic either. But a third party had entered his marriage and all of a sudden, out of the blue, his life was turned upside-down.

So what happened?

In a nutshell, relationships erode over time unless we actively counter the specific erosion that is occurring.  If we do not counter the erosion early, then the damage gets worse and worse until the relationship becomes structurally unsound. Like a house on a cliff-top that has had its foundations eroded, it is ripe for destruction when a large enough storm comes around.

So the obvious question is — what is this erosion? Well, this is exactly what Chris and Guy unpack in this episode. Exactly how you can go from tracking along nicely in your relationship to a nasty crash without you really even being aware that there was a problem.

This podcast ‘turns the lights on’ so you can see what trouble is ahead and gives you the knowledge to make a choice — to change course or allow your relationship to crash.

Who is this for?

This episode was designed for men — primarily because we men tend to be the blind fools who are oblivious to trouble brewing. We need all the help we can get. It is for young men in relationships with their girlfriend, it is for men married for any length of time, and it is for dads with (or soon to have) teenagers — especially teenage daughters. But mums and wives will get lots of value from it too.

Avoid the Relationship Crash

If you don’t want your relationships to crash in a heap, then listen to Real Talk 4 Real Men episode number 30 and examine honestly where your relationship is ‘at’ in the Relationship Crash Cycle.

In this podcast you will discover:

• Why we need emotional relationships with others
• How your relationship will erode over time if you are not alert to the warning signs of erosion going on
• How your relationships are either growing or shrinking
• What is the lifeblood of every worthwhile relationship, and
• The 7 steps that relationships typically go through at least once before they crash.

Relationships Must Meet Needs

In the 1985 movie Castaway, Tom Hanks’ character is stranded on a deserted island. He secures food, he makes shelter… but without company, he cannot retain his sanity.

Hanks finds a friend in an old volleyball he calls Wilson. Hank’s character needed to have a relationship with someone or something. Even a volleyball was better than nothing at all. Why is this? Because we are made to be in relationship with others.

Here is a clip from the film where Hanks loses Wilson at sea:

The thing is, we all need relationships, and we must protect them and invest in them.

The reasons we need relationships is because relationships meet needs.
~ Guy Mullon

Protect and invest in your relationships by listening to episode number 30 and examining where your relationships are ‘at’ in the 7 phases of the Relationship Crash Cycle.