No matter where your marriage is, it can always become stronger. Here are some ideas for those who want to shake things up a bit.
Sometimes it’s difficult to understand your spouse. Let’s be honest, we communicate and think differently than our other half. To keep your marriage relationship fresh and growing stronger, each spouse must practice being attentive to the other person’s needs and desires.
Whether your marriage is struggling or you just want to keep things fresh, here are some ideas for building unity and getting a grip on bliss:
- Be romantic. Great romance doesn’t just happen, it’s planned. Place importance on looking for new ways to say, “I love you.”!
- Date your spouse.Don’t lose that lovin’ feeling you had when you first started dating. Commit to regular, scheduled date nights, and take turns choosing the agenda. Don’t take calls or texts during your date. This is the time to rekindle dreams and fresh thoughts for the future.
- Share your time. This is your life, right now. Don’t get so busy that you forget to slow down and enjoy life—and to enjoy it with your spouse. It’s a compliment when your spouse wants to spend time with you. Plan out and prioritize your calendar. Designate time for relaxing, going out and completing chores.
- Make communication a priority. Learn your mate’s communication style. Everyone communicates differently. Tell him or her the best way to converse with you. Pay attention and actively listen to what your spouse has to say: nod, reply and make eye contact.
- Sex—take your role seriously. Great sex is the responsibility of both spouses. Be desirable. Work with what you have and present yourself as appealingly as possible. Seek to fulfill your spouse’s needs before your own. And don’t be afraid to schedule sex. You can get excited about your plan and look forward to your time together.
- Support change. You and your spouse will change over the course of your marriage and it’s important to accept those changes. Continue to value and trust each other, but don’t try to hold the other back from growth—it’s easy for resentment to creep in when you do. If you need more support, ask!
- Celebrate milestones.Be intentional about making memories with your spouse, especially for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Create your own celebrations and traditions as a couple. If a day is especially important to one spouse, celebrate it the way he or she wants to. Make sure both of you have fun on holidays!
