Break the [wounds + unawareness] cycle and guard your descendents

Worksheet: Are We Committing
 for the Right Reasons?

Over Half Think "Yes!" and Fool Themselves

By Peter K. Gerlach, MSW

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    The Web address of this article is http://sfhelp.org/07nc/rt-reasons.htm

    If either of you has prior kids, use this worksheet.

            Clicking links below will open a new browser window or an informational popup, so please turn off your browser's popup blocker or allow popups from this nonprofit site.

             This is one of over 150 articles focused on building high-nurturance family relationships and preventing divorce. This introduction describes the Web site's purpose and the best ways to use its resources. Each article is part of a mosaic of ideas, so the more you read, the more sense they'll all make. These articles augment, vs. replace, other qualified professional help.

           This worksheet is for courting couples without kids from prior unions. If either of you have such kids, use this stepfamily worksheet.

            Before continuing, reflect: why are you reading this - what do you need?

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      Background

       After 29 years' study, I believe that one of five reasons that most U.S. stepfamily unions are highly stressed is wounded, unaware, needy couples choose the wrong people to marry, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons. 

        Unrecovering survivors of low-nurturance childhoods are at special risk of this, because of our excessive neediness and reality distortions. As you'll see here, the complex decision to marry and form a stepfamily is driven by many different motives. They range from high to low priority for each partner.

       A motive is an inner "urge" to reduce a current discomfort (need). This worksheet offers a place to calmly and thoughtfully assess your and your partner’s conscious motives for considering long-term primary commitment. Unconscious motives, which often stem from unmet childhood needs, may be even more important. For thought-provoking ideas on the unconscious reasons we pick our partner/s - over and over - see "Keeping the Love You Find" by veteran pastoral counselor Dr. Harville Hendrix.

        This is one of three right-choice worksheets for courting partners. The best time to use them is (a) after putting in some months on four courtship Projects, and (b) before exchanging commitment vows and tokens. If you’re already committed, try to recall the time you decided to do that. Imagine your inner and outer life circumstances then as vividly as you can. Otherwise, fill out this worksheet to clarify why you (consciously) want to commit to your alluring partner now.

       All three wise-choice worksheets are based on my clinical experience with over 1,000 average partners and couples since 1981 - and my own failed marriages. From these and my clinical research since 1979, I propose that there are "right" commitment motives that (promoting long-term partnership satisfaction and stability. reasons). The ultimate judges here are you, your partner, and time!

       Reflect on why you're reading this article, and authorize yourself to invest all the time you need here. wedding and forming a stepfamily is one of the most complex, life-affecting decisions you'll ever make. Consider reviewing your results together with any clergy or other informed counselors you trust and respect. Widespread U.S. divorce implies that love alone is NOT enough in choosing a mate...

            To strengthen your motivation for doing these right-choice worksheets, first read...

    • this brief perspective on the current U.S. divorce epidemic,

    • this introduction to normal personality subselves (like yours) - slides or text

    • about the cycle of wounding the next generation,

    • this overview of five common marital hazards,

    • this overview of co-parent Project 7 (make three right commitment choices);

    • these 16 common courtship danger signs, and...

    • these options for maintaining a mutually-satisfying primary relationship.

     Directions

Decide if your true Self is about to use this worksheet. If not, you risk a well-meaning false self skewing your answers. One of the five divorce hazards is significant false-self control of one or both mate's personalities.

Allocate 30" or so of undistracted time for this learning exercise, and adopt the open, interested "mind of a student." Anything you learn here is useful!

Print this page and scan all 41 items below to see if these marriage motives each make sense to you. If any item doesn’t, re-word it so that it fits better;

Then meditate, and write a "P" or "1" in the "Me" brackets (  ) for each item that feels like a primary reason you are considering commitment to your prospective stepfamily members. Put an "S" or "2" for secondary reasons. If you’re unsure about any item, put "?"; Take time to meditate thoroughly on each item. Rushing through this assessment suggests a false-self's impatience, and is not in your long-term best interest!

When you finish with your reasons, stretch, take a break, and then redo the worksheet guesstimating your partner's reasons: mark "P" or "S" in the brackets [  ].

If you change your mind on earlier entries, reflect on why you're seeing things differently.

Consider jotting down or tape-recording key thoughts, feelings, and awarenesses as you proceed. The process of filling out these three "right-choice" worksheets is as instructive as your answers.

After you’ve explored your reasons for committing, re-do the worksheet by thoughtfully guesstimating the "P" and "S" reasons [  ] of your partner.

    Options

Rank-order all your reasons (1st, 2nd, 3rd,…); and/or...

Star or hilight any items that seem extra important, and note why as you go or after you finish.

Coach yourself to avoid answering what you should, and answer what is. Otherwise you’ll mislead yourself, and put you and any dependents at risk of stepfamily unhappiness and divorce trauma. This is a chance to learn about yourselves!

Ask your partner to fill out a copy of this worksheet separately, vs. shoulder to shoulder. Then come together at a non-distracted time and discuss your results thoroughly as fellow explorers. Reluctance or ambivalence to do this, or feeling significant anxiety about it, strongly suggests a false self is in charge...

"Scoring" is described at the end. Peeking there will raise the chance you'll skew your answers and reduce the value of this worksheet for you...

  I want to marry to...

Me / You

    (  )  [  ]   1) finally feel normal; and stop feeling socially awkward as a single adult in a couples’ world.

    (  )  [  ]   2) expand and enhance my life’s daily experiences by sharing them with a trusted, emotionally healthy, beloved partner.

    (  )  [  ]   3) reduce my fear of growing old alone.

    (  )  [  ]   4) co-create and/or nurture one or more kids together "before it’s too late."

    (  )  [  ]   5) live with a beloved adult who steadily makes me feel special and primary: i.e. (usually) sees                  me as the most prized and important person in their life.

    (  )  [  ]   6) have another adult help me daily with my home, finances, and chores;

    (  )  [  ]   7) feel more secure / less anxious - i.e. safer.

    (  )  [  ]   8) often feel heard, deeply understood, and accepted by a beloved and respected adult partner.

    (  )  [  ]   9) gain the approval or acceptance of someone really important to me (other than my partner);
                    
                  (Who? __________________________ )

    (  )  [  ]  10) rescue an appealing, deserving, or wounded adult;

            ...and I want to marry to...

    (  )  [  ]  11) live with a beloved adult I can freely give to, and be received by.

    (  )  [  ]  12) live with an adult who consistently respects and validates me, and helps me feel good about                   my Self.

    (  )  [  ]  13) (a) become more promotable at work, and/or to (b) become more acceptable to my kin,                   friends, neighbors, and/or my church community.

    (  )  [  ]  14) live with an adult I can often feel sexually desired by, excited by, and satisfied with, without guilt,                   shame, or anxiety.

    (  )  [  ]  15) prove _____________________________ to somebody. (who? _________________)

    (  )  [  ]  16) often feel really known, appreciated, and enjoyed, by a beloved live-in adult.

    (  )  [  ]  17) avoid feeling old and unattractive, and demonstrate my vigor and appeal.

    (  )  [  ]  18) live with an interesting adult companion who often stimulates me intellectually,                  emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and expands my world.  

    (  )  [  ]  19) finally become "whole" and balanced.

    (  )  [  ]  20) fulfill God’s plan for me.

            ...and I want to marry to...

    (  )  [  ]  21)  end my boredom, and have an exciting adventure!

    (  )  [  ]  22)  live with a loving adult who (often) wants to comfort, accept, and support me when I’m worried,                   scared, discouraged, confused, or ashamed.

    (  )  [  ]  23)  live with an adult who steadily wants to encourage me to grow freely as a unique person with                   special, valuable abilities, and to help them do the same.

    (  )  [  ]  24)  feel consistently needed by, and useful and impactful (important) to, a beloved, special adult I live                    with.

    (  )  [  ]  25)  "instantly" gain the family I (you) have always needed and longed for.

    (  )  [  ]  26)  get revenge on someone who has really wounded and mistreated me, you, or a key loved-one.

    (  )  [  ]  27)  finally end or avoid the stressful singles / dating scene.

    (  )  [  ]  28)  finally end my (your) loneliness.

    (  )  [  ]  29)  avoid the emptiness and hassle of living alone.

    (  )  [  ]  30)  gain the resources to move away from here (or to ________________ ).

            ...and I want to marry to...

    (  )  [  ]  31)  lower or end my (your) major financial or emotional anxieties or fears.

    (  )  [  ]  32)  avoid God’s wrath, and end my (your) shame from living sinfully.

    (  )  [  ]  33) "do the right thing" because of our unplanned child conception.

    (  )  [  ]  34)  get a parent, ex mate, or other key person off my (your) back.

    (  )  [  ]  35)  move into a better / safer home and/or neighborhood.

    (  )  [  ]  36)  end courtship commuting and phone-calling expense and hassles.

    (  )  [  ]  37)  end the frustration from our approach-avoid relationship, once and for all.

    (  )  [  ]  38)  make up for all the pain I’ve (you’ve) endured.

    (  )  [  ]  39)  relieve others') worrying about me.

    (  )  [  ]  40) (any other reasons for marrying...)

     

     

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         Breathe well, and note your feelings and thoughts now, without judgment. Pay special attention to sources of discomfort or "numbness": they're key signposts... Consider journaling about what's going on inside you now. Option: review your results a later to see if your answers change. Did you know of all these possible conscious and unconscious needs ("motivations") that shape the choice to marry?

        Use this worksheet to spark your awareness, not as an absolute reference - tailor it as needed to best fit you and your situation. These right-choice worksheets are not meant to replace your common sense, or your getting qualified professional help where appropriate.

Right now, I feel ....




and I need to....






  "Scoring" This Worksheet

        Premise: each reason above which includes italicized phrases is often a divorce-prone ("wrong") primary reason to marry. Review where you put your "P"s or "1"s, and where you guesstimated your partner’s "P's," and note any pattern that emerges: Note also that these are all conscious reasons you're considering marriage. There are probably others you're not yet aware of.

Of all ___ items that I marked as "P" or "1" for me, ___ had no italics. Divide the second number by the first, and multiply by 100. Enter the result here:

I estimate that __ % of my conscious primary reasons for committing to marry now favor long-term marital success.

Of all the ____ items I marked as "P" (or "1") for my partner, ___ had no italics. Divide the second number by the first, and multiply by 100. Enter the result here:

I estimate that _____ % of my partner’s conscious primary reasons for committing to marry now favor long-term marital success.

       If either of you have 50% or more italicized "P" or "1" marriage-reasons, seriously reconsider why you want to commit to marry now. You and/or your partner are probably each enduring false-self wounds, and are in normal protective denial of that.

    available Spring 2003        If so, without a period of true (vs. pseudo) personal wound-recovery before marriage, you and any dependent kids are likely to divorce psychologically or legally. Recall Dr. Hen-drix’s seasoned proposal that the main reasons we choose to marry each other are uncon-scious. If that’s true, then the items you just "scored" may not be the real reasons you’re drawn to each other.

            The key is whether your true Self filled out the worksheet or "someone else" did. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to review these danger signs and questions and answers. Then invest in your future and health by getting and discussing the guidebook Stepfamily Court-ship. Most of the content applies to any couple..

     Next - explore these right-choice worksheets...:

        After discussing all three worksheets, if you partners decide you're ready enough, set the date, and celebrate!  When you come back from your honeymoon (if any), keep working at unfinished parts of  Projects 1-5.

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Updated  November 30, 2008