The Best Advice For A Healthy Marriage
Often, we hear shocking things that discourage marriage. For example, in the past couple of decades, the divorce rate in the United States increased two-fold for individuals over fifty and tripled for those over sixty-five. However, the fact remains, marriage, when done correctly, can be a rewarding union. But, let's look past the negative and focus on what makes successful marriages so healthy. If you are inclined to take the leap or if you already have, here are five things that keep marriages healthy, happy, and lasting.
Make Time For Each Other And For Yourself
Many abilities can help a marriage succeed, however, the best ability is availability. When you make time for each other, the relationship will naturally get stronger. How many of your close friends have you stayed close with despite not spending time around each other? Likely, not many. If your desire in life is to do live life on your terms, marriage may not be for you. But, if you are willing to make time for each other, you've taken a significant step toward success. With that said, you still need time for yourself. We've all heard "absence makes the heart grow fonder." When you have a little time for yourself, it gives you the opportunity to enjoy what makes you, you. How much time you spend together versus apart will vary from couple to couple and should be discussed openly and honestly before making a commitment.
Continue reading to learn how appreciation comes into play.
Be Appreciative Of What They Do For You And What They Add To Your Life
This brings us to our second tip - be appreciative of what they do for you and what they add to your life. When you are apart from your spouse, working, participating in hobbies, or dealing with other matters, take time to reflect on what you miss about your spouse. Despite what you may think, you are not a perfect mate. The abilities you lack may be the abilities in which your spouse excels. Take a mental note of those abilities and learn to appreciate the slack your spouse picks up. When you realize what they bring to the table, you should also communicate it to your spouse to show appreciation. Speaking of communication, keep reading to learn how it is crucial in a healthy marriage.
Honest, Open Communication
The third tip to keep in mind is to always be honest and maintain open communication. Open, honest, and healthy communication is to marriage what water is to a garden. When the communication stops or becomes toxic, the marriage will wither away. Communication is easier when we are discussing something positive, but strive to be honest and have open communication even during difficult times. Whether you just got a great job offer or are dealing with a financial setback, open communication will make the expectations of each spouse clear and will also help to accept when things fall short of those expectations. And remember, how we say something is just as important as what we say. Try to keep your words kind and constructive.
Continue reading to learn more about how caring for yourself can help your marriage to a degree.
Practice Self-Care
The fourth tip involves health and appearance. Physical attraction plays a role in almost every marriage, so when we practice self-care, it can contribute to a healthy relationship. We can only expect our spouse to treat us as well as we treat ourselves. If we fail to take care of our health and appearance, we can't expect our spouse to treat us much better. When you treat yourself as well as you treat your spouse, you can justifiably expect similar treatment from your spouse. When both you and your spouse show appreciation for each other's appearance, that increases the attraction between the two of you. Popular choices for self-care include practicing yoga, reading a book, listening to calming music, and even taking a long bath every once in awhile. Of course, self-care also includes basic things such as eating healthy and managing one's weight. Staying healthy is the best thing for our bodies!
Continue reading for the final piece of advice on keeping a marriage healthy.
Always Make Time For Intimacy
When you are taking care of yourself, you tend to look more attractive to your spouse. This attraction leads to a healthier physical relationship, but only if you make time for intimacy. Always make time for intimacy while also being sensitive to the emotional and sexual needs of your spouse. While making time for intimacy in private is important, also make time to show intimacy and affection when intercourse isn't the goal. This goes a long way toward reassuring each other of your attraction and love, and in turn, further strengthens the marriage bond. Start by sitting down with your spouse and having a conversation about what the two of you want in terms of intimacy, including emotional needs (and perhaps especially, in many cases).