**I didn't write this, but it popped up in my Google Reader and I wanted to share it. You'll have to forgive my laziness, but between the sinus infections being passed around in this apartment and being in what Michael Scott calls "the terminal stages" of my pregnancy, this is as good as it's going to get for a bit. :] **
5 Key Secrets to Making Marriage Last
What are the five key secrets to making marriage last? According to British author Catherine Blyth (The Art of Marriage: A Guide to Living Life as Two) it's fairly straight forward:
1. Prioritize pleasure and laugh. Often. Remember that your marriage is something you create, together, day by day.
2. Seek the best, and keep actively noticing each other.
3. Minimize stress on your bond.
4. Embrace change.
5. Cultivate gratitude, never forgetting to praise your beloved, out loud.
Seems easy, right? Yet in practice we all know it can be quite hard. In all seriousness, how do you minimize the stress on your bond when there are bills to pay, car repairs to make, kids home sick from school, work deadlines, and mountains of snow piling up outside your door?
How do you actively notice your partner amidst the daily chaos that is married life?
I guess by paying close attention and keeping the home fires burning. Blyth suggests it takes "time, novelty, and awareness."
"Marriages can grow stale if we assume that we know each other too well. But do new things, take a few risks, see new sides to each other, and you'll experience again the surprises that jolted your heart when you met."
Kind of reminds me of that episode of Modern Family when Claire and Phil try to spice things up with a romantic getaway and role play. It's one of my all-time favorite episodes. Hilarious!
With Valentine's Day around the corner, do you have any special surprises planned?
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