Hello, dear question asker! I'm Jiang 61.
First of all, thank you so much for trusting us and being willing to tell us about your situation and seek our help. You said, "Your husband has repeatedly let you down. Can a marriage that has been unfaithful continue?"
I'm really sorry that it's not easy for me to hug you and understand how you feel. But I'm going to do my best to answer your questions.
1. Sorting things out
1. When did this happen?
You said, "It's been a year and a half since I found out he cheated on me. At first, I was so shocked, but now I'm trying to figure out how to express my feelings."
2. Life situation
You two have known each other for eight whole years and met at college. You graduated and tied the knot, and then had a little one.
You were doing really well and were so happy. Then, about a year and a half ago, you found out that your husband had been cheating on you.
3. How can we help you deal with this?
After you found out about his infidelity, you said, "I cried and made a scene, and he always said he would cut off his relationships with the outside world." But time and time again, you found out that he hadn't done so at all. It's so hard to believe what he says, isn't it?
It seems like your approach is to cry and make a scene, and his approach is to promise to cut off his relationships with the outside world, but time and time again, he is found to have failed to do so.
You've thought that if he's willing to come back and make a good life together, you can give him a chance to start over. You want to keep the family together, but he's let you down time and time again.
2. Discussion
1. The real reason for infidelity
From what you've told me, I can't see why your husband would cheat. But since he's not willing to leave you and the family, there must be a reason why he can't.
I'm sure there's a reason for him to cheat, just like there's a reason for you to feel hurt.
Let's talk about expectations.
I think it might have something to do with the way you interact with each other and the fact that your expectations haven't been met.
Have you ever thought about what expectations really mean? It's all about having a vision or longing for something in the future.
Take a moment to think about what he's hoping for. What are you hoping he'll do for you?
I'd love to know what he's hoping you'll do for him. And what are you hoping he'll do for you?
I know it can be tough, but can your expectations of each other be met?
It's so important to meet each other's needs.
It's so important to understand that if the demand isn't met and you can't satisfy his desires, he'll look elsewhere. Once he can't get it from you, he'll start seeking it externally, because he has an unmet need.
Let's talk about how you interact with each other.
I'm not sure what your interaction pattern is like, but I can tell you that if one person keeps on dominating and the other keeps on feeling subordinate, it can make the person who feels worthless look for a sense of value outside the relationship.
2. How can we help you with this?
I'm sorry to say that these methods haven't worked for Mr. Xiang. He promised to end his relationship with other people, but his distress remains buried in his heart. It's so sad to see him hiding behind the curtain.
I'd love to know why this is so!
I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can see you're struggling with how to respond. I'm here to help.
Let's look at a few different ways of responding to this situation.
I think the key to the problem is that when you deal with the issue of infidelity, you focus on your own feelings and the situation, and you might not focus as much on his feelings. In other words, when you deal with problems, you basically follow an accusatory pattern.
When we're facing challenges, it's natural to focus on our own feelings and the things going on around us. But it's also important to remember to consider how others are feeling.
It's so great to hear that your husband respects your feelings and accepts your opinion. It's also wonderful that he's promised to sever ties. It seems like he's a people pleaser, which can be a tough place to be. It's so hard when our own emotions aren't being met and we need to fill that void. It's understandable that he'd engage in sneaky behavior and continue associating with others.
A pleasing personality is one that blindly seeks to please others without regard for one's own feelings. It's not a healthy way to be, is it? It's all about putting other people's needs before your own. If you make others feel comfortable, you'll feel safe and loved.
So, sweetie, it seems like your mom only pays attention to what other people say and do, and she might be ignoring your feelings.
Let's talk about emotional attachment.
It's so important to remember that judging someone else's actions as right or wrong in an accusatory manner, while ignoring their emotional factors and needs, is the key to understanding the problem and where the emotions belong.
3. How to move on
1. Let's stop blaming each other.
It's so important to see expectations.
You can affirm that Mr. Sun has an undeniable responsibility for his infidelity. It's so sad, but he is unable to take responsibility for the marriage, the family, and keeping his promises. He is someone who cannot shoulder responsibilities.
It's so important to remember that behind the inability to communicate is his unmet expectations. So, to solve the problem of infidelity, first, let's stop blaming him.
Second, it would be really helpful to find out what he really expects and what emotional needs have not been met. Third, it would be great if you could see the expectations.
Communication is key!
It's so important to calmly address the issue of infidelity and communicate openly without blaming. It's also really helpful to explain what you really need emotionally.
2. Let's switch up our interaction model!
It's so important to learn to change the accusatory interaction model and the appeasement response into consistent communication.
Let's make sure we're all on the same page! We'll be working on consistent communication.
Satir's therapeutic model teaches us that when we communicate with others, it's important to make sure that what we say and do match up with how we feel inside. This way, we show everyone involved in the conversation that they matter to us.
People who use this model are really in touch with themselves. They speak and act consistently, have a harmonious inner balance, and have a relatively high sense of self-worth.
Let's dive in and explore how we can communicate consistently!
I'm going to share with you some sentence patterns that I've found really helpful for consistent communication.
When you find yourself in a situation where you want to express something to someone, it can be helpful to start with "When..."
The two of you can describe the situation at hand without getting into any accusations or emotions.
"My feelings are..."
It's so important to be open and honest with each other. Try to express your true feelings and emotions to the other person when you're together.
I really hope...
It's so important to be clear with each other about what we want and need from each other. It's also helpful to make sure that what we're asking for is something we can actually do and see.
I truly believe that...
Let's look to the future together and share our hopes and dreams for a bright future.
I'm really sorry to hear that you cheated on me again. I was really hurt and disappointed. I hope you can tell me what happened or what you went through after our last conversation that made you not keep your promise.
I know you still love me. I'm sure there's a good reason for what you did. Please tell me, and we'll work through it together.
You say this, taking into account your feelings, your husband's feelings, and the situation. You only talk about feelings and don't accuse. This allows your husband to understand your mood, and his emotions are noticed by you. Without being accused, he doesn't feel burdened inside and won't refrain from telling the truth because he wants to please you.
3. Give him what he needs, my friend!
A good marriage needs to be nurtured, and the best way to do this is to learn to give what your partner needs and to show them love.
It's so important to remember that everyone understands love differently, and the way they express and receive love is likely to be different. Dr. Gary Chapman has come up with a great way of categorizing the different ways we express and receive love. He says there are five "languages of love": "affirming words", "quality time", "exchange of gifts", "acts of service" and "physical touch".
Affirming words are so important!
No matter if you're friends, colleagues, lovers, or husband and wife, you need to hear praise and affirmation. And the more positive feedback you give each other, the stronger your relationship will be!
Moments of Care
Precious moments are those wonderful times and memories you share with your partner, like a romantic candlelit dinner or doing something meaningful together. During these moments, it's so important to give your full attention to your partner.
It's so lovely to accept gifts!
Exchanging gifts on important holidays is a wonderful ritual that can really bring you and your partner closer together. The gift itself is a lovely symbol of your love and commitment to each other.
The wonderful thing about serving is that it's a way of showing love and appreciation.
In short, do what your partner wants you to do and make them happy by helping them out with little things here and there.
Physical contact is a wonderful way to show your love and affection for each other. It can be as simple as a hug or a hand holding. These gestures can brighten up your day and show your partner how much you care.
Holding hands, hugging, and other physical contact can really help to increase the affection between you two. It's a wonderful way to show your love for each other, and it's a beautiful, silent language of love.
I get the feeling that you haven't yet fully expressed your love for each other. It's not enough to be just familiar with each other. When you feel truly loved by your husband, when you feel happy and fulfilled inside, he'll be less likely to look for love and attention elsewhere.
Marriage management is an art. If you manage it well, your marriage will stabilize. I truly believe you have the ability to manage your marriage well and start a new life.
I'm so happy for you and I really hope things work out for you.
Comments
I can't keep living in this dream, pretending everything is okay when it's not. It's time to face reality and decide what's best for me and the children.
The pain of betrayal has been too much to bear. I need to think about my own wellbeing and that of our children. Continuing like this seems pointless and harmful.
How long can I hold on to hope that he'll change? Every promise he makes feels like another thread breaking in our already fragile relationship. I wonder if there's any way forward from here.
It's hard to let go of eight years together, especially with seven children depending on us. But how can I teach them about trust and honesty while living in a lie?
Every day spent waiting for him to come back to us is a day wasted on false hopes. Maybe it's time to stop waiting and start thinking about rebuilding my life without him.