5 Tiny Ways You And Your Partner Aren't Compatible That Really Don't Matter
Stop overthinking the ways you and your significant other are different.(Photo: Courtesy)
You love the ways your guy is different from you—but have one spat about your sleeping preferences and it’s easy to throw up your hands, convinced what once seemed to be the tiniest contrasting lifestyle preferences are actually mountain ranges you won’t be able to navigate without a trail of arguments. Not true! In fact, some of your smallest differences are chances to make your relationship even better in disguise. Here, I’ve listed five ways you might feel incompatible with your guy but that won’t actually wreck your relationship, plus a few ways to deal.
1. You like to fall asleep in his arms, and he’s almost fallen out of bed trying to get his own sliver of the mattress. While craving cuddles you don’t get can definitely leave you feeling unloved—or at least untouched—different sleeping styles aren’t deal-breakers. Rather, they’re a great way to practice compromise in your relationship. Try to get your cuddle on before you snooze, letting him pull away when you conk out. (Just don’t let him try Ross’ version of the “hug and roll.”)
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2. His jam-band music makes you want to bang your classic-rock-loving head against a wall. Be a trouper when he’s excited to share a new tune and listen to 11 minutes of the same exact chord, then put on something you can both agree on for background music when you cook together in the kitchen. Manage this incompatibility by respecting and showing interest in each other’s musical tastes while not forcing an apartment concert in an attempt to convert an R&B lover into a country fan.
3. While you could happily sleep in a sauna, he appreciates a cool breeze—strong enough some might compare them to gale-force winds—blowing as he catches his zzz’s. Let him brace you from the cold, a la our ideas for dealing with incompatibility issue No. 1. And if that’s not an option, throw blankets on your side of the bed certainly are. Stash a few by the bedside for when his air temp dips below the comfortable mark.
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4. He loathes jellybeans; you consider them the missing portion of our FDA’s current food pyramid. Sharing and enjoying food together can be a cornerstone to a happy relationship, so while it’s disappointing he doesn’t love your favorite food, take this as an opportunity to discover your favorite foods together, then store that delicious snack in your go-to cupboard. (And still get your fill of jellybeans when he’s not around to whine about their sugar content!)
5. Your idea of quality TV is teenage drama played out over ridiculous CW scripts, while he likes to unwind to comedies of the animated variety—Futurama, anyone? If you’re not fortunate enough to have a DVR or can’t retreat to separate spaces, this one can be tough. So come to an understanding that live or finale episodes take precedence over sitcoms you can catch through streaming services or online freebie sites later on. And keep an open mind—you may find yourself giggling over an intergalactic battle, and he could be asking if Stephan and Caroline are ever going to get together?
What are some other small incompatibilities that can seem huge? How do you handle them? And do you have any other suggestions for how to navigate the issues we could face above?
By Jillian Kramer
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