Relationships Let's Talk About It!

87. Dealing With Grumpiness, Irritability and Defensiveness: Relationships in a Pandemic


Listen Later

COVID-19 has disrupted our normal life and confined us into the spaces of our homes. Many people have been isolated in their houses for weeks, and there is a lack of certainty in how long the quarantines will last. This confinement impacts couples, too. Being in constant, close proximity with each other can erode the novelty in their relationships and bring in grumpiness, irritability, and defensiveness. Even my wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, and I recently had our own experience with grumpiness and irritability - and made it through. Rainbow is an artist and the founder & owner of the Artsy Goddess Studio.

In today’s episode, Rainbow and I share our recent experience with grumpiness and the steps we took to manage it. We illustrate why grumpiness is a contagion and discuss how a person should react when their partner is grumpy. We discuss COVID-19’s impact on our mood and emotions and describe how defensiveness can erode a relationship. We also highlight the power of humor in alleviating grumpiness as well as underscore how self-awareness and self-care can help combat irritability and defensiveness.

 

“Have time for reflection and kindness; be with each other and ourselves.” - Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky

 

 

This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:

  • Our recent experience with grumpiness and how we managed it
  • Why grumpiness and irritability are like contagions
  • How to react when your partner is grumpy or irritated
  • How the pandemic can make us moody
  • The correlation between lack of sleep and grumpiness
  • Why you shouldn’t take another person’s bad mood personally
  • How to influence another person’s mood through kindness and humor
  • Giving your partner space when they’re not in a good mood
  • The impact of self-awareness on combating irritability and defensiveness
  • How defensiveness can erode the quality of a relationship
  • Irritability and grumpiness as symptoms of mood disorders and body pain
  • The effect of movies on our mood and emotions

 

Related Content:

  • Understanding and Managing Differences in Your Relationships
  • The Art of Apology
  • The Power of Appreciation
  • Emotional Regulation

 

Connect with Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky:

 

 

Let’s Talk About It!

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.

If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, visit our podcast page to leave us a voice message. Your question may be featured on a future episode!

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook at HeartShare Counseling, join our Relationships! Let’s Talk About It Facebook group, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.

And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!

 

Theme music “These Streets” provided by Adi the Monk

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Relationships Let's Talk About It!By Pripo Teplitsky

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

92 ratings


More shows like Relationships Let's Talk About It!

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,618 Listeners

Intuitive Astrology with Molly McCord by Intuitive Astrology with Molly McCord

Intuitive Astrology with Molly McCord

754 Listeners

Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

Making Sense with Sam Harris

26,409 Listeners

Relationship Advice by Thrive Therapy - Colter Bloxom, Lauren Mokarry, and Cayla Bozovich

Relationship Advice

1,677 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,367 Listeners

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

2,437 Listeners

Almost 30 by Krista Williams & Lindsey Simcik

Almost 30

3,879 Listeners

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

6,978 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

28,304 Listeners

Extra Healthy-ish by BODY + Soul

Extra Healthy-ish

8 Listeners

Jillian on Love by Jillian Turecki | QCODE

Jillian on Love

1,356 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,424 Listeners