Bad habits that you & SO have broken for each other?

jenna8984

I used to use way too much slang as in "Yo homie, it's mad hot up in here today". Way back when I met FI he told me it sounded ridiculous/ uneducated/ and slighty embarassing around other adults/ friends/ parents. He would point out each time I'd say something like that and I am SO glad that he did because now I don't use any slang and I feel much more articulate.

FI smoked a pack a day from age 13-28. When we first met, I told him that I didn't like it and would like to see him quit one day. I didn't badger him about it but I would gently encourage from time to time. One day he just dediced it was time and he quit! It's been over a year and he still has cravings sometimes so I constantly tell him how proud I am.

What about you guys?

sarawifenow

FI has made me a much more patient person. I tend to be very high strung and a hge perfectionist, so I would have a tendency of getting frustrated with people when they were being slow/not doing things the way I thought they should be done. I am so glad FI helped me get past that. I feel like a much better person now.

 

I am still trying to help FI stop procrastinating EVERYTHING! He really is the worst with that. Baby steps...

southernbelle0915

Ditto DH making me into a more patient person.

Also, I used to have a really bad habit of throwing clothes on the floor and on the bed. Then I'd be all "omg our room is SO messy"... and once I picked up everything that was mine, it was spotless. So it was clearly my problem. I've gotten a lot better.

Jessa617

My husband got me to stop biting my nails!! I am no longer embarrassed by them or trying to hide them all the time. 

I know I've gotten my husband to break some habits, but I can't seem to think of any right now. 

southernbelle0915

Oh, and I also used to leave a pile of shoes at the front door instead of taking them up to my closet and putting them away. I've gotten better about that too.

smalfrie19

FI used to smoke and when he moved it I told him it wasn't allowed in the apt and so he quit. 

I am still working on my patience and my stress management issued. But he is the person that encouraged me to start going to therapy and I really do appreciate it. 

Kauris

I am a much tidier person with FI. I was never dirty, just messy and now people come in to our home and remark how clean it is. He was in the Navy so it comes easier to him.

JCbride2015

All kinds of household habits.  The biggest is something Fi learned from FMIL: she throws small trash items in the kitchen sink.  Paper, plastic, etc.  Also food, even though they don't have a garbage disposal.  Then she throws all of it away later, as she does the dishes.  Fi started doing this when we first moved in together and I found it totally disgusting.  I bothered him about it enough (and pointed out that it makes no sense-- it's going in the garbage anyway so why put it in the sink first?) that he stopped doing it.

Fi and I both periodically help each other quit biting our nails, then one of us gives in and both of us will bite for a while.  Ha.  I'm better about not biting when I'm in a regular work schedule and feel like I need to look professional.

SmileDamnit

We both quit smoking.

jenna8984

@Jcbride2015 oh my god FI does this when he eats canned food. I always find empty tuna cans in the sink. I'm like why?!?!

missdelilah

I think FI is trying to make me a more laid back person.  Hasn't worked out so far.  He just keeps telling me that I shouldn't worry about things because in his life, almost nothing has worked out the way he wanted.  Not true for me.  We come from very different backgrounds.  I don't get everything I want, but I've never been as stressed out as I am now, and I don't understand why he just shrugs his shoulders at my concerns.  I don't think he's trying to be insensitive, but rather trying to make me what he calls "more realistic," which I call being a pessimist.  

I've dealt with much more sucky emotional issues in my life than he has, but it's made me realize that, to really amazing extent, coming from a financial comfortable family gives one completely different life expectations to someone who comes from a family with a very limited budget.  It's completely regardless of his skills and potentials.  He just doesn't see the same opportunities that I do, I think.  

This is going to be a big tug of war.  I think that being so bah-humbug about everything isn't helpful, but I do need to not freak out every time something doesn't work out for arbitrary reasons.  

climbingsingle

FI has really made my eating habits so much better. I wasn't terrible before, but I did tend to eat a lot more processed foods. Now, I eat lots of whole foods and we cook dinner almost every night. I also eat a lot less fast food. Again, I never ate it constantly, but I would definitely hit up Taco Bell/Five Guys/Wendy's like once a month. And he got me off bread and milk, which I was allergic to and shouldn't have been eating anyway. 

A bad habit I've helped FI with is that he used to be very critical of people. I don't think he even realized how often he did it. But he rarely does it now. 

wandajune6

FI has (mostly) quit smoking. He smoked for 19 years before meeting me and started quitting when I told him that I didn't date smokers. He went to a pack a day to making 1 cigarette last a week. I can't really argue with that.

FI's taught me how to be more independent. He used to accuse me of throwing money at problems. While I was always staying within my budget, I paid for help when it wasn't always necessary. I've learned a lot about how to make due with what we have rather than spend. At the same time, I've also helped him learn how to spend money thoughtfully. He's spent most of his life without money, always choosing what's cheapest. Now he's learning that focusing on value can be more important.

loveislouder

I used to swear like a sailor... now I only do it in front of my family.

FI used to stack his dirty dishes on top of the empty dishwasher.  Ugh.

ETA: I said sailer... apparently I'm not awake.

cupcait927

I've gotten FI to be more conscious about making the bed and picking his clothes up off of the floor. He's made me a better eater, got me into running, and helps me be more patient.

JennyColada

I am a very sarcastic person, sometimes bordering on the edge of rude. When I first got with Fi I had a tendency to joke/make fun of/insult my partners all in the name of good fun. Once I made a joke about Fi (before he was Fi) about him hating people or something and he kind of snapped and told me that he doesn't find jokes like that to be funny and that they're kind of hurtful. It really did make me re-evaluate how I joke with my friends and I'm really happy that he pointed this out to me. I try to keep my lighthearted comments on the positive side now, and I think it's been useful in keeping positivity in my life as a whole, which I enjoy and appreciate.

afox007

I eat way less fast food, though I think it's more because feeding three of us at home is way cheaper than take out. When I was single I cooked once a month because I won't eat left overs and onl knew how to cook in family sized quantities. 

grumbledore

I am much neater these days than when we first got together - he was a great influence.  He's got excellent housekeeping habits.

goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826

My family is not affectionate verbally or physically.  FI has helped me get over my hurdles of expressing affection.

FI can cook, but rarely went beyond the basics, so I have been encouraging him to try new recipes, and it is totally okay if they don't turn out.  That's what pizza is there for, right?  Well yesterday FI expresses to me that he really really wants to try a jalapeno mac & cheese recipe.  I was proud of him for being so excited, and venturing out of his comfort zone of pasta and meat sauce

mrscaty

FH shamed me I to not eating off the floor anymore. When we moved in together, I was a big believer in the 5 second rule (for things like chips, not meat or soggy foods). He was like "I'm not going to kiss you if you insist on eating off the floor." So that stopped real quick.

He also insists on washing his hands whenever we get home, especially during flu season. So I do that now, too.

He had a really bad habit of leaving clothes where ever he took them off. Honey, we have a laundry basket for a reason. He's better about it now.

JennyColada

ladygoldfish said:

He had a really bad habit of leaving clothes where ever he took them off. Honey, we have a laundry basket for a reason. He's better about it now.

I'm really bad about leaving my shoes wherever it is that I take them off. Fi doesn't like it and would rather me put my shoes in the closet (but it's ALL THE WAY on the SECOND FLOOOOOOOR /WHIIIIIIIINE).

Fi kind of shames me (involuntarily) into putting things away. He's really nice about it and just asks "do you think you could bring your shoes up with you?" But I just so so embarrassed that I guess I really just shame myself (since he swears that it doesn't bother him to remind me).

BreMR

I can't think of any bad habits I've helped T break, I wish that I could... he has the tendency to leave his dishes in the sink when he could put them in the dishwasher, or he'll set trash right on the countertop NEXT to the garbage (WHY??)  

He has taught me a few things though: how to squeeze the toothpaste properly, to stop holding on to every last sentimental thing,  and to be better about spending my money.

Inkdancer

FI got me to stop biting my nails.

I still haven't quite gotten him to stop leaving his clothes everywhere, but at least they aren't in the living room anymore.

Sugargirl1019

I now eat more kinds of food then I used to. Before I met DH, I hated salads. Now I'm obsessed with them.