15 Tips to Keep Your Marriage Strong

Marriage is a pretty amazing thing and those who are fortunate enough to find the love of their life understand that it’s more than just a pretty dress and a great signature cocktail. Marriage takes work and it needs work every single day. Good habits and thoughtfulness are just two of the simple things you can do each day to make your marriage fabulous. Read on to find out which 15 tips marriage experts agree everyone should have.

Speak Kindly

One of the best things you can do for your marriage is to speak to your spouse in a way that is kinder than you speak to anyone else on earth. We tend to forget that just because we are already married doesn’t mean we get to stop trying to treat the other person kindly.

Laugh

Couples who laugh together stay together. Laughing helps you bond, lowers your stress levels and it helps you enjoy your time together. Marriage is serious, but it doesn’t mean you have to be serious all the time.

Be a Best Friend

Even if you both have your own best friends, you need to be each other’s best friends. You need to want to call your spouse first if something amazing happens Just as much as you should want to call him when something awful happens.

Be a Cheerleader

Encourage him. Recognize his hard work and achievements. Be there to support him at all times. He’ll do the same for you. You need that kind of cheerleader on your team.

Say I Love You

Do it with words and do it with actions. Words are important, but actions always speak louder. Leave love notes, kiss spontaneously and say what’s in your heart.

Leave the Toilet Seat Down

It’s really just nice more than anything, but I’ve never heard a couple state that the reason for their divorce is that he always left the toilet seat down and picked his dirty underpants up off the bathroom floor. Must mean something, right?

Let it Go

So what if he forgot to take the trash out last week or forgot to pick your dry cleaning up the last time you asked? You cannot bring up old infractions with every fight. Work it out and let it go. Don’t bring it up again.

Go to Sleep

If you cannot resolve your problem before going to bed so that you don’t have to go to bed angry, go to sleep. Being sleep deprived and angry is certainly not going to accomplish anything. Forget about it until morning.

Listen

And try to understand while you listen. You have points, he has points. Do what you want him to do and sit quietly while he lets you in on his feelings and try to put yourself in his shoes. He’ll do the same for you in return.

Fully Commit

If you are not fully committed to your marriage, it will never work. You need to make it your number one priority all the time. No one is perfect and expecting perfection is never going to work; you have to commit to the imperfection and make it work.

Grow Closer

You have to do this together and it has to be on purpose. Travel together. Go on date nights. Leave the kids at home from time to time. Your spouse was here first and he’ll be the one here after the kid are gone; remember that.

Some Things are Better Left Unsaid

Just because it’s in your mind does not mean it needs to be out of your mouth. Sometimes you need to keep things in because saying them will only cause harm to your marriage. Suck it up, sweetie.

He/She is Your Fantasy

He’s the one you chose and the one you’re going to be with for the rest of your life, so make sure you keep that fire burning.

Keep Your Parents Out of It

The worst thing you can do is complain to your parents about your spouse. You are big kids now, you need to handle your own situations. Besides that, your mom doesn’t have to forgive him; you do.

Tell Him You Admire Him

Who doesn’t love to hear that they are loved, admired and respected? Talk him up. Tell your kids, your friends, your parents, your family and anyone who will listen how much you respect and admire your husband and the great person he is. You’ll feel really good when he does the same.