Marriage Tips

Understand that the honeymoon will wear off, so be ready for that day if you're not already there. How do you prepare for it? Become friends with your spouse, not just lovers. Always make time for one another and treat each other with the utmost respect.

Keep romance in your marriage. Do special things now and then that will brighten your spouse's day like buying them flowers (guys, it never gets old!) or giving them a back massage. Don't forget to say those 3 little words that we can never hear enough... "I love you."

Communicate! Most marriages fail because husbands and wives don't communicate with one another. Don't push problems under the rug because you will one day have to deal with it anyway and by that time the problems may be much bigger. Learn to get comfortable talking about things when you're both in a good mood. But use diplomacy!

As cliché as it is, its best to never go to sleep angry with your spouse. Not only will you still have to deal with whatever made you angry the night before when you wake up, but you might not get the full nights sleep that you need.

It’s great to be married to someone that shares a lot of the same hobbies that you do. This way you will have something fun to do together. However it is also good to have interests and hobbies that do not involve each other. This will give you some space and time to yourself that everyone really needs.

If you have kids, remember to go out and have some time to yourselves as a couple. If you don’t then both of you will go crazy dealing with the kids.

Remember to respect each other. Respect will keep the doors open to communication and trust. If you loose respect then you will loose many other things that are important to you as a couple.

Never think that the irritating behavior your spouse had while you were dating is going to go away once you get married. And you are wasting your time if you think you will be able to change them to make it stop. Plus, more then likely there is something you do that irritates them.

Knowing when to admit you were wrong in an argument is a key component to a happy marriage. Why keep harping on something that is wrong just because you desperately want to be right. Sometimes it’s better to just admit you’re wrong and move on to something happy.

Don't feel as if you and your spouse have to do everything together as a couple. Each person in the relationship sometimes needs their own time and space to do things. If you spend every waking hour together your spouse may feel as if you are trying to "smother" them with your attention.

Work together to find out what each of your strengths are and combine those to complete common goals. If one is better at organization, that person should handle the bills and appointments. You shouldn't try to compete in you marriage as it causes extra stress to the relationship. Work in synergy not discord.

Do you think your spouse has an irritating habit? Remember, for every habit you think your spouse has, you probably have a habit that he or she finds to be just as annoying! If it is a minor issue, try to deal with it without confrontation. You know the old saying "Pick your battles?" It's true in marriage! If it's a minor issue and you don't want to start a fight, it's probably best to leave it alone!

And both of you will definitely go crazy once little Junior and Missy leave the nest. Too many couples put so much energy into their children and so little into their own relationships they discover themselves strangers in the same house, particularly if one or both the partners are retired!

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keepin' the beat goin' and passing it on!