It takes effort to protect, nurture, and grow a marriage.
Between work schedules, children, and other obligations, sometimes it can seem impossible to maintain that partnership.
Commitment, forgiveness, respect, communication, and understanding are vital.
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From improving communication to infusing more romance into day-to-day life, here are ten ways to improve your partnership.
It can also leave you feeling less motivated to venture to improve your marriage.
To combat the risk to your relationship, decide ahead of time thatdivorce is not an option.
Forgive Quickly
Marriages often begin to fall apart when one person is holding a grudge.
make a run at forgive your partner as quickly as possible.
Remember thatforgivenessis just as much a gift you give yourself.
Holding a grudge takes up mental and emotional space and almost always impacts your health and stress levels.
Be Willing to Apologize
If you have wronged your partner,sincerely apologizeand ask for their forgiveness.
Listen to what they have to say and take a stab at understand why they are upset.
Let them know you will work on how to do things differently in the future.
Honor and Respect Your Partner
People inevitably change over time.
Understanding, appreciating, and adapting to those changes is critical for any relationship.
This exercise will help you remember why you fell in love with them in the first place.
It also helps to vocalize how much you appreciate your partner’s quirks and eccentricities.
Let your partner know every daythrough compliments or thank-yousthat you appreciate all that they do.
These little expressions are like deposits in the bank.
You don’t want to make withdrawals from your marriage without ever making any deposits.
So, be sure you are doing things that honor your partner for who they are.
You might find that you often go days without having a real conversation with your spouse.
Constant communication allows couples to express their feelings and not hold grudges.
Communicatingopenly about your life, interests, dreams, frustrations, andfeelingsis an important way tofoster intimacyin a relationship.
It’s also crucial that you also listen to your partner voice their thoughts.
Each partner can find it difficult to see the financial situation from the other person’s perspective.
Agreeing about how your money will be handled is a critical component of a successful marriage.
Agree on a budget, an approach to debt, and make a plan to live within your limits.
It’s also important to differentiate between needs and wants.
Too much can feel like smothering, while too little can be interpreted as inattentive.
On the other hand, you also want to make time to spend with your partner.
If babysitting issues or financial constraints make that difficult, plan a fun, cost-effectivedate nightat home.
There are plenty of ways to feel attractive and energized.
Keeping up with yourphysical fitnessboosts your confidence and sense of well-being.
De Los Santos says that quality time together is essential.
“Quality time means taking time for the couple to go out and share.
Ifmoney is a concern, consider trading babysitting with another couple looking to have a date night.
Continue doing the things you did when you were dating.
Small, thoughtful gestures can help couplesfeel like newlyweds.
They might display signs offinancial abusewhich frequentlyleads to divorce.
it’s possible for you to also check with your workplace.
If you and your partner share faith, your might also consider meeting with a trusted religious leader.
Find out which option is the best for you.
Summary
Navigating issues in a marriage can be challenging.
These individuals can help you get a new perspective and can point you toward additional services if needed.
2016;53(4):377-387. doi:10.1037/pst0000098
