If you’re watching helplessly as your spouse makes a series of bad decisions, and you’re not sure what to do; don’t panic. We’ve all been there and although it may look like the world is crumbling down at your feet; take a deep breath and realize that things are probably not as bad as you think. In general, everything can be fixed to some extent and that is also valid for bad decisions. In the end, your partner is allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, just as long as they don’t endanger their life or in someone else’s in the process.

But if you still want to help your spouse make better decisions or make them listen to you and realize their mistake then here you’ll find a list of things you can do. Not only that but you can also find ways to make yourself feel better and deal with the situation better without letting it affect your relationship with your spouse or your mental health. So stick around and, we’re going to tell you all about it in this article, then only you’ll know exactly what to do when you’re witnessing your spouse make bad decisions.

5 Things to do when your spouse is making a horrible decision:

1. Try to decide how serious the outcome of their bad decision will be:

Before you try to stop your spouse from making a bad decision or arguing with them, try to estimate how serious the outcome of their bad decision will be. Is their decision going to irreversible alter your life for the worse? Or is it something minor like what restaurant to dine at that night?

Ask yourself if it’s even something worth fighting for or even upsetting your spouse for. If it’s not a decision that may turn your life upside down, then you may want to consider letting them have their way. In this case, you should even ask yourself whether you’re being a little too controlling and why you care so much about something that is temporary and won’t matter much next month.

In fact, if it’s something minor, then you’ll end up realizing sooner or later that it wasn’t worth getting into an argument over. On the other hand, if it’s something major, then you need to have a discussion about why you think their decision is a bad idea or proceed to the next steps listed below. But even then, try to approach the entire situation and conversation with respect and an open mind. After all, we all make mistakes sometimes.

2. Try to understand their reasons behind such a decision:

The second thing to do is to try to understand why they’re making the decision. Is it based on emotion or logic? If it’s emotional, see if you can talk them out of it. If it’s logical, see if you can provide more information to help them make a better decision.

In any case, what you don’t want to do is start arguing with your spouse about a decision when you’re not sure about their reasons and motives. So before you start stubbornly pounding your fists on the table, take a step back and try to understand their reasons. Maybe you’re the one in the wrong. It’s always important to be open to your spouse’s ideas, even if you don’t agree with them at first.

After all, marriage is a compromise. And if you can’t see things from their perspective, maybe it’s time to ask yourself why. What are you afraid of? Why are you resisting their point of view? Communication is key in any relationship, so next time you find yourself disagreeing with your spouse, try to have a calm discussion instead of an argument. You might be surprised at what you learn.

3. Give your opinion in a clear and gentle way:

Thirdly, don’t be afraid to give your opinion. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say “I don’t think that’s a good idea” for a person to realize that they’re about to make a mistake.

If you want to help your spouse make better decisions, it’s important to give your opinion that’s true! But don’t stop there. You also need to provide a solid justification for why you think their decision is wrong.

Otherwise, they may just write off your opinion as a difference of perspective and go ahead with their bad decision anyway. Of course, you can’t force them to listen to you, but a little push in the right direction can go a long way. After all, when it comes to making decisions, two heads are always better than one. So try to be gentle about it and try to open their eyes to the way you see things by clearly communicating and sharing your thoughts.

4. Consider making someone they value and trust intervene to stop them:

Fourthly, if you tried all of the steps listed above and none of them work then you may want to consider using some external help. This could be a friend, family member, or even a therapist. If your spouse knows that this person is concerned about their well-being, they’re more likely to listen to them than to you.

When you see your spouse about to make a decision that you just know is going to be a bad one. Whether it’s buying a new car without doing any research, or quitting their job on a whim, it can be tough to intervene without seeming like a nag. But if you’re at your wit’s end, you may be wondering if there’s anything you can do to stop them. In this case and this scenario alone, you should not hesitate to seek help from a trusted figure that you both value like a parent of theirs or an older sibling.

If you feel like your spouse is making bad decisions that are impacting your life then you may need to let someone else try their luck at waking them up from their trance. Sometimes an outside perspective can be invaluable in helping someone see their situation clearly. Of course, it can be hurtful to see that an outsider has more influence on your spouse than you do but in the end, it will be for the greater good so focus on the positives!

Keep in mind that this should be your last resort and that Intervention should always be done with respect for your spouse’s privacy. That’s because no one likes to feel like they’re being ganged up on. Again, use this method only if you reach a point where you feel like you have no other choice.

5. Let them learn from their mistake in due time:

In the end, it can be difficult to know what to do when your spouse makes a decision that you strongly disagree with. Should you try harder to talk them out of it? Should you go along with it even though you’re not happy about it?

What you need to remember is that if nothing works and you can’t stop your spouse from making a bad decision, then you may as well let them learn their lesson and not stress yourself out for nothing. After all, they’re the ones who will have to live with the consequences of their decision, not you. So let’s just cross our fingers and hope their decision doesn’t affect you much because if it would then it is definitely not a decision they can take alone and without your approval.

But, if the decision would only affect them alone then who knows, maybe they’ll come out of it better for having gone through it. So next time your spouse makes a decision that you don’t agree with and after you’ve tried the steps above and none of them worked, remind yourself to just sit back and relax. It’s not worth stressing yourself out over something that you can’t control.