EXERCISE 3:  DESIRES AND LONGINGS

Behind each anger is a hurt, and behind each hurt is an unmet longing or need.  This exercise assists you in identifying your deepest longings.

 

Column A:  Summarize your list of your partner’s frustrating behaviors and cluster those that are similar

Column B:  Summarize your feelings

Column C:  Summarize your reactive behaviors

Column D:  Summarize your fears.

Column E:  List what you think might be the deep desire underlying each frustration sequence, as briefly as possible and state it as an absolute (e.g. "Always be on time for everything” or “Always be available when I need you."

 

A.

Frustrating patterns

B.

Feelings

C.

Reactive Patterns

D.

Fears

E.

Desires

When you

I  Feel

and typically react by

to hide my fears of

What I really want is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Circle up to three items in each column that are the strongest or most intense for you.  Complete these sentences

 

a.         To overcome my fears (Column D) I need:

 

 

 

b.         To get what I want (Column E), I need a partner who ideally has only the following positive traits:

 

 

 

c.         With such a person, I would feel (positive feelings):

 

 

 

.