7 Tips for a Stronger & Happier Marriage

Having a strong and successful marriage is not an easy task. In fact, it is incredibly difficult and time consuming. Still, it is safe to say that the end result is definitely worth the hassle.

In this article, you will find a list of helpful tips that will help you make your marriage stronger, ranging from talking to one another about your emotions, hugging and kissing on a regular basis, and taking walks together, to scheduling date nights and eating meals together. 

A marriage, like any relationship, needs work; it needs attention and nurturing. When one or both parties fails to work at the marriage or provide the right nourishment, the marriage is likely to fail and possibly lead to divorce. For people who are entering that difficult phase of a marriage, there is help and support to find in websites such as Survive Divorce. But before you get to that stage, there are things you can do to keep your marriage strong.

1 – Talk to One Another

Chances are you already know this, but talking to one another is one of the most important things you can do to strengthen your marriage. However, it is also one of the easiest things to forget about. Talking to your spouse is an easy way to keep the communication lines open and make sure that you are both on the same page.

Communication is important for your relationship and you should learn to talk about anything and everything with one another. If you don’t, then problems will arise, and you will begin to wonder if your spouse even cares about you anymore.

However, it is worth noting that everyone needs space and time for quiet. While it’s important to keep communication lines open, it is also important to be able to identify the signs and know when your spouse needs a little space and quiet.

2 – Hugs and Kisses on a Regular Basis

Just because you have been married for a long time does not mean that you should stop hugging and kissing your spouse. On the contrary, if anything, it means that you should start doing it more often. A good example of this is when you have kids. When they are babies, you hug and kiss them all the time, but as they get older, you tend to do it less often.

Physical contact is important in a relationship. But it doesn’t have to be only hugs and kisses. Holding hands on a walk, cuddling on the couch in front of the TV – these are good examples of ways to maintain physical contact and keep the marriage strong.

3 – Take Walks Together

It is truly amazing how something as simple as a walk can bring two people closer together. People tend to be able to talk more openly and more freely when they are engaging their whole bodies in a physical action like walking. Plus the clean air and lovely scenery helps, too. 

4 – Schedule Date Nights and Eat Meals Together

Scheduling dates with your spouse can be difficult because of work and other responsibilities. But you must make it a priority. You must put aside time to work on your relationship, otherwise it is likely to fall apart.

There are plenty of ways to schedule date nights. For instance, you could plan a specific date once a month or every week on a specific day. In fact, having a set date where you do absolutely nothing but spend time with each other can be a great way to rekindle that spark in your marriage.

Eating meals together is important, too. The meals taste better when both partners are involved in all aspects of the meal – from planning and shopping to cooking, eating, and doing the washing up. Afterwards, not only is your hunger satisfied, but you will have a great feeling knowing you did it as a team.

5 – Make Discoveries Together

It’s important to keep things fresh, to learn something new or experience something new, together. This way, the relationship remains stimulating and as individuals, you will both continue to grow but will grow together, and not in opposite directions.

Take a class together – cooking, dancing, or art; go to a museum or concert together; or visit a city, national park, or country neither of you has ever been to before. 

6 – Keep Your Spouse’s Passions in Mind

You don’t necessarily need to be passionate about the same things, but respecting your spouse’s passion, enjoying the enthusiasm he or she has for it can be quite stimulating and rewarding. It is important to encourage your partner in his or her passion. That is a great way for your partner to feel understood and supported. Additionally, it is a great way for your partner to be happy and feel good. And generally those kinds of feelings are contagious.

7 – Take Care of Yourself And Your Own Needs Outside of Your Relationship

Being married, or being in any kind of serious relationship for that matter, requires a lot of work. The more work you ask of your partner, the higher the chances of failure. For this reason, it is important that you address your needs, that you exercise a bit of selective selfishness now and again – in psychology this is known as second-order altruism. Otherwise, you are putting a lot of undue pressure on your spouse to take care of all your needs.

Doing things outside of your relationship will give you a better perspective on life and on your own life in particular. It will allow you to see things from someone else’s point of view and help you understand what matters most in life — which will only help you maintain a healthy relationship with your spouse.

Takeaway

Marriage, like any kind of serious relationship, takes a good deal of work to make it a success. You need to keep the line of communication open, make time and a concerted effort to nurture the relationship, and be willing to make compromises, putting the needs of your partner sometimes ahead of your own – all while taking the steps necessary to make sure your own needs are met.

It’s so difficult that it’s not all that surprising that statistically many marriages end in divorce. However, it’s also worth remembering that not all marriages end in divorce. This means that it is possible to keep a marriage strong and make a marriage last. It does, though, require a lot of attention and commitment.