Mistakes Men Make With Women

Mistakes Men Make With Women (from the author of "The Truth About Love, and How To Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It):

Mistake Number One: Not Listening. It's the number one complaint women have about their partners. Women get a dopamine hit and build bonds through conversation. The average man doesn't get that same high. Men don't understand that women talk to connect.

Mistake Number Two: Not Offering Help. When a woman wants help, she may not ask for it. A man may not understand that houswork and intimacy are very related. Seeing her man do housework can make him look very sexy to his woman.

Mistake Number Three: Thinking Men and Women are Alike. When men give, it's often based on what they want, not what their partner wants. From gifts to the bedroom, men should not assume their woman is just like they are.

Mistake Number Four: Misunderstanding the 'Silent Treatment'. Guys think they're being punished when their girl gives them the cold shoulder. In reality, the silence means she's hurt and can't speak. Men also have it wrong when the silence lingers and he believes the wound has healed, but when she's not talking at all, the relationship has gone from bad to worse. Men make the mistake of thinking that silence is a good sign, but she may be making an exit plan. The best thing a man can do is reach out with compassion and make the woman feel safe enough to express her real emotions.

Mistake Number Five: Failing to Communicate. It's a common complaint women have about men: Why won't he just TELL me what he's thinking? But men often don't verbalize what's obvious to them. However, when a man doesn't offer information, it sends the wrong message to the woman. Men can be much more successful with their woman if they explain themselves.

Mistake Number Six: Thinking that 'Physically Present Is Enough'. A man believes that if his body is in the house, it's a form of intimacy. Never mind that he's on the couch or on the computer in another room. but for a woman to feel close, a man must reach out physically, emotionally, or mentally. One of her senses has to be stimulated. Talk, listen, or touch her in some way.

Mistake Number Seven: Feeling Hurt By A Woman's distractions. For women, multi-tasking is second nature. If you want her full attention, hold her hand when talking to her. If a man is touching his woman in some way, he'll be the loudest thing in her environment.

Mistake Number Eight: Not Getting How Women Operate. DNA makes men and women navigate the world differently. They have a completely differenty orientation toward life. Prehistoric men (hunters) had to focus to capture prey. Nowadays a man can still screen out everything irrelevant to his task. He may notice the overflowing trash can or the socks on the floor, but he won't do anything about them if his focus is elsewhere.

In the end, though, the experts say our differences are valuable. We are meant to shore up each other's weaknesses.