10 Secrets to a Happy Marriage: Part Two

Here we are again to divulge the rest of the 10 secrets to a happy marriage. Hang on to your hats this could be a bumpy ride:

6. Another important – if not mundane – aspect of maintaining a happy marriage is to share household responsibilities. It is easy to sometimes to just let your partner take all of the household chores and just sit back and watch them go. But, if you make that a habit your partner can start to feel resentment that can build up into a massive argument. It’s best to split up the responsibilities for maintaining your home. That way each person feels like a part of a team. If one partner feels overwhelmed on a particular day they can tell the other partner that they need help. Let’s say your sick and need to get some rest and you just can’t cook for your family, or take care of the kids. That’s when your sweetie can step up and fill in the gap for the day.

Trust me…when you’re the sick person, that’s when
you feel like you have a happy marriage.

7. Having open and honest communication is essential for any relationship to last. If either person is struggling with this one the relationship is doomed to struggle. Effective communication is so fundamental that it is considered by many relationship experts to be foundational to a happy marriage. Developing the ability to put yourself in your sweetie’s shoes and see things from their perspective is so important that it can not be overstated. Communication about everything from sex, to finances, household responsibilities, raising children, and even dealing with emotions are things you will need to handle openly and honestly. If you do, your relationship with grow deeper and stronger with each passing day.

8. A related “secret” to open and honest communication is dealing with hurt. You have to be able to effectively communicate when your partner has hurt you. And, you need to listen and be understanding when your partner tells you that you have hurt them. Even when you just don’t get it and can’t figure out what you did wrong. Many people shy away from confrontation and just want to keep the peace. But, that’s when you need to grab the bull by the horns and just say what you are feeling. Otherwise bitterness sets in and it is even harder to deal with later on. You may even try to avoid spending time with your sweetie. Don’t do it. Tell then how you feel. Don’t sleep on it. Take care of it right away. You’ll be glad you did. Then you will have some peace, which is another avenue that leads to a happy marriage.

9. Sometimes couples fall into a rut and are just so predictable. They do the same things all the time, go to the same places, eat the same food, and meet the same friends. That only leads to couples becoming stagnant. Try a little spontaneity once in a while is another key to a happy marriage. It can really shake things up and bring back some excitement into your relationship. Go someplace different, meet some new friends, and eat something different. You might just find you like it better.

10. The last “secret” to a happy marriage is about not forgetting why you married your sweetie in the first place. What was it that first attracted you to your partner? Thinking about each other in this way will help ensure that you do not forget why you fell in love. It cuts through to the heart of the matter. We all go through changes in the different seasons of marriage. But one thing never changes, why you love each other.

No one can guarantee that they will be happy all the days of their married life. In fact whenever you add another person to the mix - and add children on top of that – it becomes even more complicated. But, if you practice these 10 basic principles (“secrets”) you will have a much better chance of success for a long, fulfilling, and happy marriage.

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