Summary
- Put your relationship first.
- Build a two-person team.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges.
- Get expert advice.
- Count your blessings.
No life is without its ups and downs. When a couple’s relationship is strong, the highs tend to be sweeter and the lows easier to manage. In good relationships, partners use times of hardship to reconnect with each other, set goals, and define values.
Pointers for couples who want to stay together, especially during hard times
- Put your relationship first. You chose the relationship so place it at the top of the list of your most prized assets.
- Make uninterrupted time to spend time together.
- Build a two-person team. A marriage is like a well-run business. It runs best when there is a clear sharing of skills and labor. If you build a good team now, you'll be able to handle tough choices later, knowing the whole burden isn't yours alone.
- Communicate early and often, through words and actions. Be clear with each other to avoid misunderstandings. Remember the importance of physical connections, too. Hold hands, touch, give massages and show your partner you care in every way you can.
- Minimize stress. Control the small stresses so they don’t build up. Consider taking stress management training as a couple. Once you know how to meet a challenge head on and get through it, your stress level will go down.
- Compromise. Fighting when you disagree gets you nowhere. Instead, work together to come to a solution that satisfies you both. Respect each other’s views and be willing to give a little to get a little.
- Set reasonable expectations. People are happier in general when they focus on what is good in their lives rather than on what they want.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges. Be honest with each other—in a loving way—when you set your goals for the long term. Be proactive and decide what you will do if one of you loses a job or if your mortgage payment increases. Develop an action plan based on research and discussion.
- Get expert advice. Read books by marriage and family experts, seek solutions-based counseling or join a reputable marriage training program. Look for courses available through your local school district, nearby colleges or religious organizations.
- Count your blessings. Be thankful for your relationship and for the partner you have chosen to spend your life with. When we’re most critical of a spouse, we're unhappy with ourselves. Look for the joy and comfort you get out of your marriage. Try to put the negatives aside. Instead of focusing on their sloppiness, remind yourself how great they are with the children. They may always be late, but they're also good at balancing the checkbook.
Building a strong relationship is hard work, so don't expect to reach your goals in one weekend, or after one couples’ course. You will learn as you go along. When you've been through rough patches and come out stronger on the other side, you can be grateful for the all of the times with your partner, easy or challenging.
Summary
- Put your relationship first.
- Build a two-person team.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges.
- Get expert advice.
- Count your blessings.
No life is without its ups and downs. When a couple’s relationship is strong, the highs tend to be sweeter and the lows easier to manage. In good relationships, partners use times of hardship to reconnect with each other, set goals, and define values.
Pointers for couples who want to stay together, especially during hard times
- Put your relationship first. You chose the relationship so place it at the top of the list of your most prized assets.
- Make uninterrupted time to spend time together.
- Build a two-person team. A marriage is like a well-run business. It runs best when there is a clear sharing of skills and labor. If you build a good team now, you'll be able to handle tough choices later, knowing the whole burden isn't yours alone.
- Communicate early and often, through words and actions. Be clear with each other to avoid misunderstandings. Remember the importance of physical connections, too. Hold hands, touch, give massages and show your partner you care in every way you can.
- Minimize stress. Control the small stresses so they don’t build up. Consider taking stress management training as a couple. Once you know how to meet a challenge head on and get through it, your stress level will go down.
- Compromise. Fighting when you disagree gets you nowhere. Instead, work together to come to a solution that satisfies you both. Respect each other’s views and be willing to give a little to get a little.
- Set reasonable expectations. People are happier in general when they focus on what is good in their lives rather than on what they want.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges. Be honest with each other—in a loving way—when you set your goals for the long term. Be proactive and decide what you will do if one of you loses a job or if your mortgage payment increases. Develop an action plan based on research and discussion.
- Get expert advice. Read books by marriage and family experts, seek solutions-based counseling or join a reputable marriage training program. Look for courses available through your local school district, nearby colleges or religious organizations.
- Count your blessings. Be thankful for your relationship and for the partner you have chosen to spend your life with. When we’re most critical of a spouse, we're unhappy with ourselves. Look for the joy and comfort you get out of your marriage. Try to put the negatives aside. Instead of focusing on their sloppiness, remind yourself how great they are with the children. They may always be late, but they're also good at balancing the checkbook.
Building a strong relationship is hard work, so don't expect to reach your goals in one weekend, or after one couples’ course. You will learn as you go along. When you've been through rough patches and come out stronger on the other side, you can be grateful for the all of the times with your partner, easy or challenging.
Summary
- Put your relationship first.
- Build a two-person team.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges.
- Get expert advice.
- Count your blessings.
No life is without its ups and downs. When a couple’s relationship is strong, the highs tend to be sweeter and the lows easier to manage. In good relationships, partners use times of hardship to reconnect with each other, set goals, and define values.
Pointers for couples who want to stay together, especially during hard times
- Put your relationship first. You chose the relationship so place it at the top of the list of your most prized assets.
- Make uninterrupted time to spend time together.
- Build a two-person team. A marriage is like a well-run business. It runs best when there is a clear sharing of skills and labor. If you build a good team now, you'll be able to handle tough choices later, knowing the whole burden isn't yours alone.
- Communicate early and often, through words and actions. Be clear with each other to avoid misunderstandings. Remember the importance of physical connections, too. Hold hands, touch, give massages and show your partner you care in every way you can.
- Minimize stress. Control the small stresses so they don’t build up. Consider taking stress management training as a couple. Once you know how to meet a challenge head on and get through it, your stress level will go down.
- Compromise. Fighting when you disagree gets you nowhere. Instead, work together to come to a solution that satisfies you both. Respect each other’s views and be willing to give a little to get a little.
- Set reasonable expectations. People are happier in general when they focus on what is good in their lives rather than on what they want.
- Set goals and also set up for challenges. Be honest with each other—in a loving way—when you set your goals for the long term. Be proactive and decide what you will do if one of you loses a job or if your mortgage payment increases. Develop an action plan based on research and discussion.
- Get expert advice. Read books by marriage and family experts, seek solutions-based counseling or join a reputable marriage training program. Look for courses available through your local school district, nearby colleges or religious organizations.
- Count your blessings. Be thankful for your relationship and for the partner you have chosen to spend your life with. When we’re most critical of a spouse, we're unhappy with ourselves. Look for the joy and comfort you get out of your marriage. Try to put the negatives aside. Instead of focusing on their sloppiness, remind yourself how great they are with the children. They may always be late, but they're also good at balancing the checkbook.
Building a strong relationship is hard work, so don't expect to reach your goals in one weekend, or after one couples’ course. You will learn as you go along. When you've been through rough patches and come out stronger on the other side, you can be grateful for the all of the times with your partner, easy or challenging.