After the Honeymoon: 5 Tips to Keep Your Marriage Stronger than Ever
How to Have a Happy Marriage: 5 Tips to Keep It Strong
Marriage is hard work but it doesn’t have to feel like it. Here are 5 tips on how to have a happy marriage that will make your union stronger than ever.
After the excitement of wedding planning and the giddy blur of the Big Day, most couples look forward to some quality time together on the honeymoon. Coming back to reality after all that excitement (and spending a lot of money) can be a bit of a shock to newlyweds.
With divorce rates on the rise, you might be wondering how to stay happily married. Not to worry, we have compiled the 5 best tips on how to have a happy marriage. Read on for marital bliss!
It’s the Little Things
Whether it’s sending a cute text or surprising them with their favorite dinner – research suggests that little gestures go a long way in a marriage.
Reminding your spouse that they are your chosen one is important. Small spontaneous acts of love and kindness can keep the romantic spark glowing. Why not offer to run them a bath, book surprise tickets to a show, or leave them a little love note.
If you’re feeling particularly spontaneous – why not elope and renew your vows?!
Communication, Communication, Communication
So important, we’ve said it thrice! When was the last time you turned off the TV, put your phones out of reach and properly listened to each other? In the hustle and bustle of daily life (especially if there are kids involved!) it’s easy to lose sight of the person that you fell in love with.
A successful marriage requires hard work, and a lot of this is effective communication.
Dates nights are a great way to check in with each other. As often as possible, create an opportunity to focus on your spouse without distraction. Everyone knows only the worst of dates would spend the evening scrolling Instagram!
This is an opportunity to find out how your spouse is really doing, and whether you can do anything to make the relationship stronger.
Keep Marriage and Co-Parenting Separate
If you’re blessed with a bundle of joy, it can be very easy to put all of your time and attention into your new addition. Of course, parenting is all-consuming, especially in the early days. However, it’s important that a parent doesn’t rely solely on their child to meet their needs for connection and closeness.
Due to the nature of human reproduction, it’s normal for the mother to form a closer bond with the infant. This can lead to less emotional availability to their husband.
Many fathers report feeling lonely when a new baby arrives. This can lead to distance between you and your spouse.
It’s important to remember that you are not only parents, you are husband and wife. Prioritize each other where possible. Your children will one day leave home, and it will just be the two of you again.
This is a time which can be challenging for a couple, so a strong and enduring bond will help to see you through.
Pick Your Battles and Fight Fair
Inevitably even the most loved-up of couples aren’t going to see eye to eye on everything. A long-lasting relationship will have to navigate conflict in order to be sustainable.
It’s easy to assume that happy couples wouldn’t have disagreements, but it’s actually healthy to argue, as long as it’s done fairly. Failing to voice displeasure will only lead to resentment and a bigger bust up further down the line.
A fair fight will focus on the dispute at hand, without straying into personal attacks. Being conscious of the language used in an argument will go a long way – you can’t take back words once they’ve been said!
One nugget of advice is to always assume positive intent – it’s unlikely that your spouse is going out of their way to annoy or upset you!
You’re more likely to take out little frustrations on each other as the closest people in each others lives. Give them the benefit of the doubt and seek clarity rather than revenge.
It’s also important to pick your battles. Not every issue needs to become a full-blown row. Don’t sweat the small stuff, focus on what’s really important to you both. After all, a relationship requires a certain amount of compromise!
How to Have a Happy Marriage – Sex and Intimacy
We’re often being fed the message that more sex equals a better relationship. This isn’t necessarily the case. Studies have shown that it’s quality over quantity when it comes to time in the bedroom. Couples who have sex once per week have been found to be the happiest.
Sex is important in a marriage not just for the physical enjoyment, but also for the intimacy it creates with your spouse. It’s often one of the parts of a relationship that isn’t prioritized when ‘real life’ kicks in.
It may not sound very passionate, but scheduling sex can work well for busy couples. Knowing that you’re both looking forward to what lies ahead can also build excitement and closeness between you.
Saying ‘I Do’
So there you have it, the top 5 tips on how to have a happy marriage. Whether you’ve been married 4 months or 40 years, all couples can benefit from following this advice!
If you’ve not yet said ‘I Do’ or are still planning the big day, we’d be happy to advise you. Contact us for more information.