Part 2: Your Husband Just Lost His Job: How to Respond

Tip #4: Make Sure He Knows He Is Meeting Your Needs

When you see the end of that previous quote in Tip #3, you may think, “I don’t want to pressure him with my needs, when he is the one going through such a difficult time.” And yet, the men in our research were clear that one of their greatest desires is to know that they are needed.  

But the nuance to this is crucial. He desires to know that you need him, and that he is doing a good job at meeting those needs. Remember: he doubts himself. Especially now that his insecurities have been heightened in excruciating fashion, he may be on a knife-edge about whether he is being the husband you need. The dad your kids need. And that is highly tied to whether he feels like he is doing a good job at what he tries to do.  

Look for every opportunity to affirm that. For example, let’s assume that two days ago you said something like what was suggested by the man in Tip #3. So tonight, it would mean the world to your husband if you said, “Honey, I could tell that you were feeling down tonight. That you were looking at the bank account and worrying. And that you didn’t want to talk about it. And yet . . . you did. You were willing to sit down after the kids were in bed and talk about it because I needed to. That meant so much to me. You are a great husband.”

So now you’ve got a foundation for the beginning of the journey. But what do you do in the days to come? See the next steps in Part 3. Click here to automatically receive Part 3, and other articles like this.

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Shaunti Feldhahn loves sharing eye-opening information that helps people thrive in life and relationships. She herself started out with a Harvard graduate degree and Wall Street credentials but no clue about life. After an unexpected shift into relationship research for average people like her, she now is a popular speaker and author of best-selling books about men, women and relationships. (Including For Women Only, For Men Only, and the groundbreaking The Good News About Marriage).

Her latest book, Thriving in Love and Money, uncovers the issues that cause money conflicts and provide couples with truths that are relationship game-changers. Because you need a better relationship, not just a better budget.

Visit www.shaunti.com for more.