Marriage can be a tricky thing and requires a lot of work, but when you’re with the right person, all the effort is worth it. As someone who came from an abusive relationship, I didn’t really have a strong belief in happy marriages. Actually, both Jason and I are previously divorced, so finding each other was a huge blessing.
I wanted to write this post because even after finding my ‘happily ever after’ with Jason, I understand how hard it is to keep a marriage going (especially when you add kids to the mix), but with mutual respect and a few golden rules, marriage can be easy! 😉
EXPRESS GRATITUDE
My husband does so much for me — including lots of support when I told him I wanted to start this blog. I always make sure I’m expressing gratitude to him for not only supporting me, but for being a truly good man, husband and father. It goes both ways too, he communicates to me how grateful he is for everything I do for him and our beautiful kids.
BE HONEST
This might be one of the most important aspects of making any relationship work! Being able to not hold things back, express yourself and communicate when things don’t feel right, is key. In my marriage, we’ve gotten really good at letting go of things fast and not holding grudges. I highly recommend this because it’ll keep both of you happier in the long run.
DATE NIGHT
At least once every other week we get a babysitter for the kids and spend an evening just the two of us. Whether it’s a romantic dinner or some kind of show, we make a point to connect in this way as often as our schedules allow. This sort of thing is also very important to keep that special spark you probably had when you first met.
DO NICE THINGS FOR EACH OTHER
We try to incorporate thoughtful gestures into our daily routine. This doesn’t have to mean gifts or anything fancy — one of the best things we do for each other is letting the other sleep in on the weekends. If the kids wake me up, I let him keep sleeping and vice versa. When you’re running around all week and trying to get things done, knowing you might get to catch a few extra minutes of sleep is so nice.
ALWAYS SAY I LOVE YOU
Aside from being honest with each other always, this is probably the most important advice I could give someone about marriage. Even if you’re having an argument, never leave it without saying I love you. Jason and I make it a point several times a day to express this to one another, which I think is a huge difference-maker in our relationship.
What do you do to keep the spark in your relationship?
Photo credit: Helen Berkun
