With the rate of divorce at an alarming rate, people may wonder if it’s worth getting married at all. In fact, many millennials are not even tying the knot until they’re much older, if at all. However, if you’ve found love, there’s no reason why you can’t keep that love alive between the two of you forever! Here are five tips for making your marriage work in good times and bad.
Be Real
Of course, people like to think they are “being real,” but often, it’s easy to put on an act when first getting to know someone or hiding parts of yourself that are “messy” or difficult. However, to really connect completely with another human being, they need to see the real you. A false front creates a wedge between two people that gets bigger with time. Make sure you are authentic from the very beginning, and always be open about your true feelings.
Just Chill
Even the most easygoing person can get quite emotional when issues hit close to home. Emotions rise, and tempers can flare when you don’t see things the same way. When this happens, take a step back or a step away and resist saying something you’ll regret later.
Never Let Wounds Fester
One of the worst things for a relationship is letting hurt or anger smolder inside you. Even the tiniest bit of bitterness has the potential to spread and create a greater chasm between partners. It’s unrealistic to think there may never be problems between you and your spouse, but once the dust settles, make sure every bit of your heart is mended. If you feel hurt, betrayed, confused, or upset by anything, discuss it with your spouse, and get it resolved right away.
Get a Different Perspective
People understand things from their own perspective; their reality is their perception. But sometimes, you have to step outside that and force yourself to look at situations from your partner’s point of view. In fact, you should do that pretty regularly if you want to keep a strong relationship going.
Be Realistic About Money
You may not be too surprised to know money problems is one of the main reasons marriages suffer. People get stressed out over money woes. It may not be entirely a lack of money that causes the problems. Sometimes, two people who otherwise get along great have entirely different views of handling money, resulting in problems.
It’s helpful to go into a marriage understanding how the other person deals with money (and being OK with that if it’s different from how you handle finances). One way to manage money differences is to work out a plan in advance about how you’ll deal with problems. This helps reduce arguing about it, at least.
No relationship is perfect, but putting these tips to practice will help keep your marriage in better shape.
