The agreement shared and established by a man and woman during the marriage as partners till death do they part should not be considered as an end. Couples, especially newlyweds, should rather acknowledge marriage as a new chapter in a continuing journey of their romantic relationship. Hence, requiring some adjustments and new understanding to acquire a healthy state of conjugal and family life.
Since a married life is something new to both couples, it cannot be helped to have some misunderstandings or even arguments from time to time. However, such things should not deter couples from making their marriage work. Married couples should realize that most of the time, the crux of the matter has nothing to do with what they are actually talking about.
In most cases, the issues arise from what keeps couples from fixing the problem of the moment and what keeps them emotionally distant from each other. To help you navigate through this tricky situation and achieve a happy married life, outlined underneath are some reasons behind common obstacles to a healthy marriage.
Lack of Good Communication
Becoming married is not an assurance that couples had already overcome communication challenges and barriers between them. For in most cases, complacency and over-familiarity with each other could even be an avenue for miscommunication or no communication at all. Thus, creating a whirlwind of argument and mistrust among married couples.
In theory, good communication is uncomplicated and undemanding, but at times such theory when actualized could bring the opposite. If not immediately resolved, it may turn a blossoming married life into a disaster in the making.
Appreciate Your Partner
Perhaps one of the most important tips for a happy married life is to always remind yourself and your partner how much you appreciate them. A simple appreciation of your wife’s effort to pick up your dry cleaning during her office lunch break will surely have a great impact on your relationship. Any gesture of appreciation, great or small, will certainly avoid or fix an emotional dissatisfaction in a relationship.
Couples nowadays should be reminded that marriage is not simply a relationship that is signed, sealed, and committed. Married couples should understand that for marriage to work, certain healthy practices should be observed while negating those that are harmful to a relationship.
Unaddressed Childhood Issues
Apart from the lack of good communication, unexamined and unaddressed childhood wounds could also serve as a starting point of a marriage problem. It is good to note that as individual persons, each of us may be sensitive to certain things, such as criticisms, not being appreciated, or being neglected.
Married couples may inadvertently trigger such wounds or issues that were left unexamined and unresolved by their partner throughout their childhood years. Thus, resulting in annoyance, withdrawal, or even deep anger, which could ultimately lead to the unsavory relationship during the married life of couples.
Mismatched Vision
Mastering the art of communication and even resolving all personal conflicts within may not guarantee a smooth sailing married life, especially if visions are not matched. One of the factors that commonly undermine a relationship is a mismatched vision in life. There would come a time that couples will suddenly realize that they don’t anymore share a mutual perspective on life. Such differences in outlook may cause both physical and emotional rift among couples.
The ones mentioned above are some commonly experienced things of married couples. Marriage is not always a fairy tale ending, for a portion of its reality also entails sacrifices and struggles. Couples need to work things out and recapture the essence of their marriage to acquire a deeper understanding and concern for each other. To do so, listed down below some of the best practices that will surely lead to a happily married living.
Openness and Honesty
More than communication, couples should be open and honest with each other. If a spouse does not provide open and honest communication, trust will surely be undermined. Undermining the trust in a relationship will ultimately weaken the very foundation of a relationship, as there will always be a shadow of doubt in one’s action and feelings.
On a practical aspect of openness and honesty in a relationship, couples cultivating such traits will surely feel happier and fulfilled. By letting your partner know your sentiments, future plans, and even darkest past, arguments may be avoided and you will be able to arrive at intelligent decisions as couples.
Maintain Attraction
One of the keys to a successful long-term relationship is to keep your wife or husband attracted to you. A study suggested that caring for one’s physical appearance and the well-being of a romantic relationship are strongly connected.
Superficial as it may seem but looks do matter in a relationship. This is a truth every person instinctively practices but seldom acknowledges in public. However, physical attraction should not be the sole focus of personal improvement, along with the physical aspect, the emotional aspect should likewise be cultivated to maintain attraction.
Intimacy Inside and Outside the Bedroom
When hearing the word “intimacy,” most couples will immediately associate it with lovemaking. However, contrary to popular belief, intimacy does not only apply to marital coitus. Intimacy may come in various forms, such as a simple conversation and cuddling. Similarly, there may be no greater display of passion than to see a husband trying to ease the pain of his wife while suffering from an illness.
Intimacy inside the bedroom is important to practice and nourish in married life. However, such passionate desire may change over time as couples age together. Hence, as early as today, other forms of intimacy should be exercised, apart from performing sexual roles of couples.
Hopefully, the tips mentioned above will help you through your journey as you fulfill your duties and responsibilities to each other as married couples. However, your understanding should not only be limited to the aforementioned insights, to achieve a happy married life, but you should also learn to go the extra mile.