15 Pieces of Marriage Advice That Are Good for Every Couple

What’s really great about marriage is that your marriage is yours. You are married to the man you chose, you have the kind of marriage that you want, and you have the happy knowledge that it’s yours alone. If you’re getting ready to marry the man of your dreams, as many women are this summer, you are probably being bombarded with marriage advice. Some you might want, some you might question, and some you might flat out refuse. Here’s the deal; no two marriages are exactly the same, so sometimes you don’t need to heed the advice of others. However, some people actually have pretty good marriage advice. Read on to find out the 15 best pieces of marriage advice the world has to offer.

Happy couple embracing and laughing on the beach

Expectations

One of the best pieces of advice your marriage can use is that it is not about expectations. You don’t go into marriage expecting things to be a certain way. You need to go into marriage asking yourself what you can do for your spouse without expecting anything in return. Expectation is, after all, the root of all evil.

Change

You cannot change a man – and he cannot change you. If you want your husband to change, he has to want to change. If you are marrying him in hopes that he will change, you are in for a big disappointment.

It’s Okay to Fight

Marriage is not perfect. You will fight; and that’s a good thing. Arguing, as it happens, means you’re both standing up for what you want, what you believe, and what is important. Just keep it respectful, and all will be well.

Agree to Disagree

If you cannot come to a conclusion of an argument, sometimes the best thing you can do is agree to disagree. You’ll be a lot happier for it. No one has to be right or wrong.

Don’t Lose the Honeymoon Phase

One of the reasons so many marriages fail is that both partners forget that they still have to work for the love and attention they want. Remember when you fell in love? You were both working very hard to ensure that the other was happy and felt loved; you have to do that always. You cannot stop. Marriage doesn’t mean that you “have” someone. You still have to work for it.

Think About It

Before you start an argument, make sure it’s a productive argument. If you’re still going to be mad about it or it will still matter to you next week, next month, next year, it’s worth mentioning. If you won’t care about the current issue at the end of the day, it’s not worth the fight.

Take a Break

No matter how much you love someone, you need time apart. You don’t have to go on trips without your husband or wife, just take a few hours every so often to do something for you, whether it’s a solo shopping trip or a solo movie, or just time with your family or friends. It’s good to miss one another from time to time.

Communicate

Communicate about everything. I mean EVERYTHING. It’s the key to a successful marriage.

Date One Another

Even though you’re married now, your marriage needs a date every now and then, especially if you have children and busy lives. Make the time, put forth the effort, and you’ll see the benefits.

Laugh

Don’t forget to find the humor in things. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean that you can’t laugh together. It will relax you, rejuvenate you, and remind you why you love your spouse.

Compliment One Another

Find a reason to give your husband a compliment, even if it seems silly. For example, if you find him better than ever when he’s changing the baby’s diaper, let him know. It’s silly, but it will make him feel good.

Don’t Say Anything Negative

Even if he’s irritated you to the point of no return, do not say anything negative about him to anyone. You will forgive him because you love him, but your friends and family might not.

Let Him Be

If you have kids and he doesn’t change diapers the way you consider most effective or he doesn’t load the dishwasher the way you like it loaded, let him be. Don’t correct him. He’s his own person with his own thoughts. If you wanted him to be just like you, you should have married yourself.

Say I Love You

Even when you’re mad, tell one another you love one another. It’s good for your marriage and it’s good for your life. Anything can happen at any moment and you don’t want to leave any conversation without letting him know how you feel.