3 Keys To A Successful (Spiritual) Marriage

All couples want their marriage to be a happy one. But what’s the secret to a long-lasting relationship? For every couple, there’s a honeymoon phase where they’re both so in love with each other. Their passion for their relationship seems to be limitless. However, there will come a time when the honeymoon phase ends, and the two individuals need to face the reality of being married. 

Marriage is complicated, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to be happily married. If you want to give your relationship the best chances to be successful, it’s essential to understand the principles of marriage and how to work around the realities of being a husband or a wife. Let’s take a look at three keys to a successful marriage. Hopefully, these will be able to help you strengthen your relationship more. 

Understand That Marriage Isn’t Perfect

One of the rules for a happy marriage is to be realistic about your expectations. Know that there will always be good times and bad times. There will be phases in the relationship that will challenge you and your partner. But you know that problems are not permanent, and you ought to celebrate the times when things are going well with your married life. 

During the rougher seasons of your marriage, learn to be patient, and to hang on. Don’t allow your pride to get in the way, so do your best to communicate. Remain connected with your spouse even if you seem to be in disagreement with one another. It’s important to still be respectful of each other and to express your feelings in healthy ways. 

Even if you feel like you’ve had enough of the negativities of marriage, don’t bring up the idea of separation or divorce when you’re both at the height of your anger. You know that you don’t mean it, so try your best not to say things that will hurt your spouse. Remember that once you’ve said them, you can never take those words back no matter how many times you apologize. 

It’s crucial to find ways to express your emotions without hurting each other in the process. If you’re angry, it’s understandable if you spend a few hours to let your anger dissipate. But try not to harden your heart that you’re no longer willing to listen to what your partner wants to say. Always keep your communication lines open so that you can both have the chance to hear each other out. 

Make An Effort To Be The Best Partner You Can

Putting your best foot forward when it comes to your marriage is not only about impressing your spouse. You give your best at everything you do because your partner deserves that from you. It would be more helpful to your marriage if you both think the same way. Give each other the best version of yourselves. Make an effort to make your partner feel that they are special that way. No one else gets to enjoy the uniqueness that is you. 

There’s also a key point here that needs to be stressed. When you do something for your partner, it would be best if you don’t have any expectations from him or her. Otherwise, it would be like your love is conditional. It’s like saying, “I love you because you love me.” And that’s not going to make your marriage last. When you love, love your partner sincerely and without expectations. Nothing is guaranteed in life, so we can only hope that our partners will also love us in ways that we want to be loved. 

Try appreciating your partner more as well. Notice how good she looks when your wife gets a haircut. Compliment your husband for the wonderful dinner he prepared. Take time in the mornings to just cuddle and enjoy each other’s company. It’s vital in your marriage to be expressive to each other. There’s no reason to be stingy. Be generous in appreciating your spouse. 

If you’re not the type of person who’s expressive, you don’t have to change your personality all of a sudden. But you can try to practice it more and more each day. Just tell your wife she smells good or that you missed her while you were at work. Those little things keep the passion you have for each other alive. 

Plan And Dream Together

As a couple, you’re a team now. You have each other’s backs. Whenever there are significant decisions you need to make that would affect your marriage, always consider your partner. Don’t leave out your spouse and decide on your own, thinking that your husband or wife wouldn’t mind. Your lives are entwined now, so whatever you or your partner would do, you will both be affected by it. 

So, take the time to consult your spouse because this person is your partner in life. Plan and dream together so that your marriage will be a harmonious one. From buying a house, a car, pieces of furniture, or choosing a new city to move to, talk about it. The importance of communication between partners couldn’t be stressed more. 

You won’t agree with each other all the time. That’s why both of you also need to learn to compromise. What would be the best way for both of you? If one partner is selfish and wants to get his or her way every time, then it would lead to the other becoming stifled and dissatisfied. So learn to communicate your thoughts and feelings so that you both can arrive at a reasonable middle ground. 

Final Thoughts

For some, marriage is easy. But for many couples, there’s an everyday struggle to keep the relationship strong. Remember not to make decisions when you’re emotional. When you want to say hurtful things, hold yourself back even if you really want to say them. Talk when you’re already calm. Whenever there’s a problem, give your marriage a chance and work it out with your spouse. Your marriage will be a successful one as long as you both are willing to work together.