5 Important Things to Remember about Your Marriage

Prepare yourself not on a material basis but on an immaterial basis. Revise thinking, change mindset if needed, sit with the wise, take advice because marriage is not a child’s play.

1. Marriage is about growing together
   When one partner takes up a new interest, the other is not only supportive but becomes interested as well. This growing and sharing have been shown to be linked to happy and long-lasting marriages. So when your partner finds a new TV show or hobby they really like, why not try it and see if you get hooked on it too? Even better, sign up for activities that you both can enjoy – a language or cooking class, dance lessons, Zumba meets, etc. Sharing and caring is what makes marriages stronger.
2. Making Marriage a Priority is Healthy
   Sometimes kids, money, extended family, social relationships begin to take up so much time that there’s little room for the marriage. However, if your marriage is not healthy, your parenting, your relationships with other people, your income, and your job are at risk of being negatively impacted. Put your marriage at the top of your priority list. Make time for your spouse and work together on your goals. Don’t give in to any feelings of guilt if you spend time with your spouse. What could be more important?
3. Marriage is a Leap of Faith
   Marriage is a leap of faith, a tumbling into the unknown with another person for the rest of your days. Trust that the person you’re jumping off the cliff with believes in you loves you and wants what’s best for you. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Learn to open up to them about your aspirations as well as your fears. And understand that this new dynamic is as scary for them as it is for you.
4. Marriage isn’t ONLY about Having Kids
   If you marry young, wait to have kids. Give yourself some time to learn to be a married couple before you add infants to the mix. Get to know your partner as well as you can before you have a little one who divides your attention. Before you have kids, you need to build the right foundation for your marriages without distractions so that when the distractions come, they’re ready for them.
5. Marriage is Fun
   You just married the one person you can’t imagine living without. You get to spend the rest of your life with this person — enjoy it! Stay up late, eat decadent meals, travel, go to the movies, tell bad jokes, and read the paper in bed. Life was good before, but it gets infinitely better when you’ve agreed to stick together in sickness and in health, for good times and bad. Enjoy the ride.