Top 10 Secrets to a Happy, Lasting Marriage
- by KissMeGoodnight.com

Having a happy marriage doesn’t necessarily come easily just because you love each other. While love is very important in a marriage sometimes it just isn’t enough and you have to work at your marriage just like any other relationship. Open communication and careful consideration of each others feelings are two of the emotional aspects that are key to a happy marriage. Even more mundane details such a household responsibilities and financial understanding can factor into the state of the marriage. It is imperative to understand that a marriage is a multi-faceted relationship that needs to be nurtured in all of its capacities in order to be successful.

Being willing to make sacrifices is one secret to a happy marriage. Both partners in the marriage must be prepared to put their partner’s happiness ahead of their own from time to time for the marriage to truly work. If either partner is completely self centered and unwilling to make sacrifices it will create resentment in the marriage. At times the sacrifices may be big but most often it’s the smaller things that matter most. Even preparing a dish that you don’t like but that you know your spouse likes lets your partner know that you care and are willing to put their happiness first at times.

While making sacrifices is important in a happy marriage, it is also important to sometimes do things that are just for you. It’s great to have a lot of common interests but it’s also essential to have some things that you enjoy doing on your own. Having some separate activities gives you a little time away from your partner once in awhile and gives you a chance realize how much you miss them when you are apart. It also gives you an opportunity to explore things on your own and prevents boredom in the relationship.

Another secret to a happy marriage is to maintain an intimate and affectionate relationship. Sharing physical closeness will keep your marriage happy. Even small gestures such as hugs or holding hands give you the opportunity to reconnect with your spouse on a daily basis.

Finances can cause a great deal of stress in a marriage so it is important to do your best to ensure that you do not allow your financial situation to destroy your marriage. When financial concerns arise it is important to discuss the problems so that both partners are aware of what is going on and to work on establishing a budget together. Working together on this issue will make sure that neither partner feels left out of the decision making process and neither partner bears the stress of worrying about finances on their own.

Sharing household responsibilities is another secret to a happy marriage. If either partner feels as though they are taking on too much responsibility in the household it can lead to resentment. Not only does sharing these responsibilities prevent resentment but it also gives the couple an opportunity to work as a team which strengthens their bond. Both partners need to take an active role in completing household chores and let their partner know if they are beginning to feel overburdened.

Open and honest communication is also necessary for a happy marriage. Without communication the relationship will continually struggle. It’s important to be honest with your partner and share your concern and to listen to what your partner has to say and make an effort to understand their point of view. Communicating about problems and concerns is important but it’s also important to communicate about your aspirations and even your daily lives. All of these types of communication bring a couple closer together and foster a happy marriage.

Along the lines of open communication, it’s also important that you let your partner know if they have said or done some thing to hurt you. Failure to do so will allow the problem to continue to cause problems in the marriage. If you bottle up your feelings your partner will be unaware of what they have done to hurt you and may be likely to repeat their actions. You also may begin to avoid your partner because you are angry and you don’t want to start a confrontation. Your partner in turn may sense you behaving differently and be annoyed by your behavior. Simply coming out and telling your partner why you are upset can help you avoid this unnecessary host of problems.

Understanding that you and your partner won’t always be in complete agreement is also critical to a happy marriage. While you may agree on a lot of things it’s unrealistic to believe that you and your partner will be in sync at all times. Its okay to disagree sometimes as long as you respect each other’s feelings and beliefs and do not think that any one disagreement will be the end of the relationship.

Spontaneity is also an important part of a happy marriage. Allowing yourselves to fall into a predictable pattern can lead to boredom but being spontaneous at times will prevent boredom from setting in and keep the relationship interesting.

Finally, remembering why you married your spouse is one of the most important secrets of a happy marriage. Always remembering what it is about your partner that drew you to them will make certain that you never forget your love for your partner. It will also ensure that they are always beautiful in your eyes. Many things may change throughout the course of your marriage but the one thing that will always remain is the reason you fell in love in the first place.

A happy marriage is not guaranteed no matter how much the partners love each other. There are so many variables that can have an affect on the happiness and success of the marriage. It is important that both partners realize that they must continuously work on all of these aspects if they want their marriage to remain a happy and healthy relationship.

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by KissMeGoodnight.com : 2005

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