My other half is often disappointed with life and whinges about things (as women do) from time to time.
Tell her straight up that you are not interested in hearing her whine ever again. Period. Then don’t.
She wants a better job and more social life etc. So, I sit down and calmly discuss how I can help her.
Generally, she jumps around from idea to idea and the more I focus on the actual next step to moving forward (like doing CV, looking st courses) then she dodges to the next thing and avoids.
She is clearly more interested in whining than finding a solution. Quit engaging her whining. If she presents you with a goal she wants help to achieve, than she earns a meaningful conversation and your advice.
I have no idea how to help her. She gets literally upset the closer I get to setting a plan up.
Clarify the purpose of her talking with you, at that time. Ask her, Is she actually looking for help from you or is she wanting you to just listen? Then decide if you want to.
Often she gets pretty childish.
I remember being like this when I was young and had zero confidence. When I thought that I didn’t want to take the regular road and some giant golden egg would appear on my lap, if I wanted it bad enough.
She acts childish and you allow it. Better stop that pattern now.
She also wants YOU to bring her the golden eggs. She is not interested in working for them.
my solution finding just seems to infuriate her.
She’s not interested in your solutions. Can’t you tell yet??? Actions over words!
I completely agree on the the dynamic of problem fixing v communication. The issue is, my wife has lived here for 2 years, is only now mastering English and does NOT have the capacity to do all the things she wants without some help and guidance.
If she had stayed single, and you had not made her your gf and now wife, as quickly as you did, she would have been out in your city doing a whole lot more for herself, by now. She may have when she was single already. Her survival would have demanded it. You’ve allowed her, her excuses, and her playing dependent, to the degree she has. You’ve made it ok. I suspect you like her dependence and portrayed helplessness, on some level, otherwise you would have expected and demanded more from her, by now.
I think the main thrust of the post is “how to get a woman to focus on realistic goals” rather than “how to retain frame” but the path always leads back there, it’s almost as if it’s a constant battle for some to keep their woman around.
You are incorrectly assuming you have frame. You clearly don’t. She is not listening to you. She is not being respectful of you, your time, or the advice you give her. Get honest with yourself.
You are also more interested in pleasing her than she is in pleasing you.
You want her to focus on goals. Clearly she had no interest in actually focusing on goals, or she would be. She’s not, not because of her poor English but because she does not really want to. You’ve allowed what is and already made it acceptable.
Before you even married her, I believe you posted multiple times about how unmotivated she was back then and how much it frustrated you and you did not understand it. I think you posted about her not even keeping up with the basics of keeping a clean house and how it frustrated you. I think you may have even said you felt she was lazy. You not only stayed with her you went ahead and married her.
If you married her expecting her to change into someone else, I think you are in for a very rude awakening. People are who they are.
She is not interested in being different right now, otherwise she already would be or she at least would be actively be working on it. If she really wanted help to set new goals for herself, or as a couple, SHE would already be taking action AND having constructive conversations, to further that. She doesn't. She just chooses to whine.
You use her lack of knowing the language well, after 2 years there, as the reason she needs to be so dependent on you. As I recall she lived in your area without you, just fine, before you two met. Why is it an acceptable excuse now?
If I recall correctly, you two were having unprotected sex, with the intent of her getting pregnant and having your first child, at any time now. If you still are, I HIGHLY recommend you stop that and use contraception. I think you are going to realize that there is a bigger divide between your fantasy and the reality, in your relationship than you were anticipating. Reality of who she is and what life will be like together can be a rough ride. Not all make it.
Facing that without a child is one thing. Facing the possibility someday, of splitting up and having your child suddenly moved, away to her home country, and then potentially being forced to move there too, in order to be part of your child’s life, is way beyond worth the risk, IMHO, at least at the moment, as things are playing out as they are. While you may think divorce will never happen to you, and I hope it doesn’t, it happens to people everyday, who also thought it would never be them. Make wise choices. Each one counts. They add up over time. Bringing a child into the world does NOT make your relationship with your wife better or closer. It amplifies everything that already isn’t working. Don’t think you are immune.
People aren’t specifically wanting you to fail. People caution you from their experience. Be wise to consider it. Be honest with yourself about the issues at hand and address them straight up rather then letting them continue to fester in your relationship.
TL;DR I suspect she is not personally interested in making changes herself, as much as she just wants you to give her more of an exciting life.