More and more ladies nowadays pursue their passions, blaze their own paths with their careers, and become successful in their fields. It can get a bit tricky for some men to manage relationships with girls who can seem to manage on their own. That’s not at all surprising when most guys are used to the idea of a stereotypical timid, demure, and helpless lady waiting to be rescued.
If you’re wondering how to handle a strong, independent woman — especially when it comes to dating, relationships, and marriage, here are 6 proven tips to help you.
Table of Contents
How to Handle a Strong, Independent Woman
Don’t try to compete & don’t be insecure.
Insecurity is one of the main concerns when trying to figure out how to handle a strong, independent woman. This is especially because such ladies tend to be go-getters and achievers in various areas of their life — be it with school, their career, or even community involvements.
The key thing to remember then is this:
You are not competing against each other in your relationship. You are on the same team!
Cheer your partner on! Her achievements and abilities do not make you any less of a man. So instead of being jealous, take pride in having a capable, skilled and successful girlfriend/wife! After all, since you’re on the same team, her successes are also yours to share.
Support and encourage her with her passions.
One of the most endearing qualities of a woman is when she is PASSIONATE. We don’t mean being sensual and romantic. Rather, it’s such a blessing to be with someone who is gives her all and pours herself in what she believes in.
If you want to know how to handle a strong, independent woman, you have to know that she is not a pushover who’d give up on things she loves doing, nor is she a sponge who will just take on what you want to do. She has her own passions and goals, and the best way to show your love is to SUPPORT HER and ENCOURAGE HER (and even maybe PUSH HER…in the most positive sense of the word) to go and chase after her dreams. And give her space to do so.
Whether it’s as simple as a love for blogging, a deep interest in some musical instrument, a strong desire to start a business–as long as it is good for you both, and it is God-glorifying, let her do what she’s gotta do. As Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in Modern Family says: “Voy a ser la brisa en tu espalda, no quien te escupa en la frente.” (Check out it’s translation. It’s a good one.)
Have her back always.
Your strong-willed girlfriend or wife is likely always out there — crossing oceans, climbing mountains, reaching new heights. It’s OK if you’re not the type who’d want to always keep up with her. Just make sure that you always have her back.
She may be a go-getter but she won’t always succeed. There will be failures, falls, and frustration. Be there. It’s great to know that someone’s there even in your lows. Jason Mraz perfectly captures this with these brilliant lines from his song The Woman I Love:
Sometimes the world can make you feel
You’re not welcome anymore
And you beat yourself up
You let yourself gettin’ mad
And in those times when you stop lovin’
The woman I adore
You could relax
Because, babe, I got your back
Welcome her opinions & ask for her thoughts.
While we advocate for the man to be the leader in a marriage, this does not mean that you make sole decisions for the both of you. Especially if you want to learn how to handle a strong, independent woman, you have to INCLUDE HER in decision-making. How? Ask for her input. Get her thoughts. Welcome her opinions.
Assuming that she is a well-adjusted kind of an outspoken / opinionated lady, she won’t use her intelligence & wisdom for nagging, bringing you down, or questioning your leadership. Rather, she would be happy to share her two cents from her own plethora of experiences. And one would be stupid to pass up on an opportunity to learn from someone else.
Again, ask her what she thinks. Don’t be afraid to let her speak.
Listen.
And while she speaks, listen. Be open-minded about her thoughts. Be willing to accept that maybe she does have a great idea…even if it’s better than yours.
It’s not that you’re going to submit to the woman (again, we are advocates of male-leadership in relationships), but you should actually welcome her input and opinion. Don’t just let her speak for the sake of letting her speak, but do consider her ideas! After all–just like in any relationship that you’ll have–you won’t always be right.
Love her and treat her like a lady.
Your girl’s being a strong, independent woman is NOT an excuse for you to not show your love. Even strong-willed people who have a ‘tough’ exterior want to be loved. Don’t be afraid to be romantic–already fearing ahead of time that it’ll be found corny. Trust us: Being thoughtful and putting in effort are HIGHLY appreciated.
Show her your love through her preferred love language. Date her. Show her off. She’s not a robot nor a rock, after all. You sweetness will go a long way.
Epilogue
We hope you got practical tips on how to handle a strong, independent woman–especially when it comes to dating, relationships and marriage. Your being supportive, understanding, inclusive, and caring will go a long way! Don’t take for granted even these seemingly small and simple gestures and actions you can take to complement your partner.
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Got any other tips for guys on how to handle strong, independent women? Drop them in the comments section.
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