by Trisha-and-Amy on March 27, 2009
- Ask yourself what your expectations are for a good marriage. Do these expectations match those of your partner? Are your expectations realistic?
- What expectations do you have of each other as a husband and a wife? Sit down with each other and talk about them (you may be surprised at how many expectations are imaginary).
- Take a step back and assess where your expectations of each other come from. Did you watch your parents live together, happily married, for thirty years? Did you watch them live unhappily for thirty years? Did you watch them divorce? Most importantly, are the expectations created by your parents’ example fair?
- Consider how your expectations of yourself as a mother are impacting your relationship with your spouse.
- Remind yourself why you got married to your spouse in the first place.
- Stop thinking about what your marriage should look like. Redefine what a “good marriage” means to you, for this moment in life.
by Trisha-and-Amy on March 25, 2009
- Know that there’s no such thing as a perfect marriage. Stop focusing on what you think your marriage should look like and start thinking about what will actually make you happy. There’s no set formula for a good marriage. At least half the job is figuring out what a “good marriage” means for you and your spouse in particular. Are your expectations for your spouse and your marriage realistic?
- Give yourself permission to make your marriage a priority. The pressures of being a “good mom” in this generation have put our marriages last on our lists.
- Commit yourself to working at being happy, instead of waiting for happiness to fall out of the sky. Define your goals together, for both the short and long term. Happiness builds on itself.
