Marriage is a beautiful thing, and it offers a lot of good tidings for those who do it right. If you’re keen on making yours last, read on to see five ways in which you can do this and get the most out of it.
Make Time To Spend As a Couple
A great way to make your marriage last is to create time for your partner throughout the marriage. Don’t stop making plans just because you’ve already been married for five or ten years, but keep at it. Doing this will enable you to stay on the same page and grow together, making your marriage one that has a solid foundation as it’s based on friendship and love. With an average of 2.4 million weddings performed in the U.S. every year on average, you can even look for like-minded couples and take part in activities that help you strengthen your bond while giving you a chance to interact.
Don’t Keep Scores
When your partner wrongs you, it’s good to extend them grace and understand that you also have your own shortcomings. This does not mean that you should endure habits and behaviors that are harmful, but it means that you should not hold your partner to a higher standard than you yourelf can uphold. Whenever you’re wronged, talk about it in a way that leaves room for improvement and growth rather than one that will simply start a fight that has no solution. When you find a healthy way to face your issues as a couple, you’re likely to experience a long marriage.
Keep Communication Clear and Regular
It may be easier said than done, but regular and clear communication is the basis for a strong marriage. This starts from the moments before you even get married, with 24% of American millennials researching venues before they get engaged. Good communication in this case will help you both find a location you enjoy and that will work for both of you. If there’s something that needs to be said, it’s good to say it before your partner asks about it as this may make them feel as though they’re not close enough for you to share your plans with.
Talk About Money and Children
For a strong and long-lasting marriage, it’s also important to talk about money and children from the start. Discuss how many children you would like to have if any, and when you would like to have them. Also talk about money so that your expenditures, debts, and savings can all be well-managed. When you work on these in unity, you are likely to enjoy a strong marriage in which neither of you feels like they’re being taken advantage of. Discuss each other’s financial responsibilities so that it’s clear from the start and each of you knows what’s expected of them.
Attend Premarital Counseling
Finally, if you haven’t yet tied the knot, seek the services of a good premarital counselor. Doing this will help prepare you for scenarios in the future that you may not be aware of at the moment. Because they have experience, a premarital couselor will be able to guide you on what to do and what not to do, something that will give you the gift of foresight to a good extent. About 39% of marriages are projected to still end in divorce despite the fact that the rate of divorce is dropping. Make sure that yours is not a part of this, but it’s one of those that will last for a long time.
Keep these five suggestions in mind when getting married, and you will find it fun and easy to build a strong marriage. When you have the basics, down, things like housing and car expenses will fall into their places in due time and you won’t have to stress over them.