We have been at it for a while, but as the saying goes, never let it rest until your good is better and your better best. Can we apply this to marriage?
Many factors contribute to a satisfying marriage relationship such as; Love, Commitment, Trust, Time, Attention, Good Communication including Listening, Partnership, Tolerance, Patience, Openness, Honesty, Respect, Sharing, Consideration, Generosity, Willingness/Ability to Compromise, Constructive conversation, but what about being goofy, playing around, playing together, chilling and accepting. YOu would better believe that those last few things are just as important as the serious parts of the list.
It is such a wonderful feeling when you decide to be with someone because you are experiencing all of the above. Relationship Guide Review took to the streets and asked 30 elderly couples what the secret to a successful marriage relationship is, and this is what we heard:
Deep Connection
To be emotionally in tune with my partner. For us to understand each other and love us for who we are, doesn’t sound very complex now.
It is always a plus when you can laugh with someone, and it is easy and natural; that is a true sign of intimacy. Emotional connection is one of those compatible elements that are necessary to keep a relationship healthy.
“Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.” – Barnett R. Brickner
When I was a child we would meet as a family on a Friday night, and we would sing to our heart’s content; there was never a better feeling. The experience impacted every other area of our family experience. Knowing how to bond as a couple will help with those difficult times in the relationship.
When we began removing the “stuff” from our life, we found a whole new world open up. We found that we had more time for the things that we valued most.
Now, as a result, we spend more time at the dinner table, we take long walks as a family, and we have been able to save money for some worthwhile experiences—like a weekend at the beach, for example.
Removing the non-essentials has allowed us to focus more on the essentials. And we have discovered that true life is found there.
Often, our marriages follow the same trajectory.
At first, when we have nothing but each other, we focus intently on the important building blocks of a healthy and successful marriage. But as our relationship continues forward, “stuff” begins to accumulate and begins to distract us from the very essentials of what makes a good marriage.
Suddenly, we worry more about the appraisal value of our home than the value of our relationship. We check the health of our retirement account far more often than the health of our marriage. Or we spend more time taking care of the car in the garage than the other person in our bed.
Things accumulate in our homes and lives and soon demand our money, energy, and precious time. As a result, we have little left over for caring for the very elements of a happy marriage.
Wise couples realize that a nice home, car, or retirement account may appear nice to have, but they do not make a successful marriage. They understand that there are far more important principles at play.
They have learned to invest their money, energy, and time into the 8 essentials of a healthy marriage:
1. Love & Commitment.
At its core, love is a decision to be committed to another person. It is far more than a fleeting emotion portrayed on television, the big screen, and in romance novels. Feelings come and go, but a true decision to be committed lasts forever, which defines healthy marriages.
Marriage is a decision to be committed through the ups and the downs, the good and the bad. When things are going well, commitment is easy. But true love is displayed by remaining committed even through the trials of life.
2. Sexual Faithfulness.
Sexual faithfulness in marriage includes more than just our bodies. It also includes our eyes, mind, heart, and soul. When we devote our minds to sexual fantasies about another person, we sacrifice sexual faithfulness to our spouse. When we offer moments of emotional intimacies to another, we sacrifice sexual faithfulness to our spouse.
Guard your sexuality daily and devote it entirely to your spouse. Sexual faithfulness requires self-discipline and an awareness of the consequences. Refuse to put anything in front of your eyes, body, or heart that would compromise your faithfulness.
3. Humility.
We all have weaknesses, and relationships always reveal these faults quicker than anything else on earth. An essential building block of a healthy marriage is the ability to admit that you are not perfect, that you will make mistakes, and need forgiveness. Holding an attitude of superiority over your partner will bring about resentment and prevent your relationship from moving forward.
4. Forgiveness.
Because no one is perfect, patience and forgiveness will always be required in a marriage relationship. Successful marriage partners learn to show unending patience and forgiveness to their partners. They humbly admit their faults and do not expect perfection from their partner. They do not bring up past errors to hold their partner hostage.
And they do not seek to make amends or get revenge when mistakes occur. If you are holding onto a past hurt from your partner, forgive them. It will set your heart and relationship free.
5. Quality time
Relationships don’t work without the time investment. Never have, never will. Any successful relationship requires intentional, quality time together. And quality time rarely happens when quantity time is absent.
The relationship with your spouse should be the most intimate and deep relationship you have. Therefore, it is going to require more time than any other relationship. If possible, set aside time each day for your spouse. And a date night once in a while wouldn’t hurt either.
6. Honesty
Honesty and trust become the foundation for everything in a successful marriage. But unlike most of the other essentials on this list, trust takes time. You can become selfless, committed, or patient in a moment, but trust always takes time. Trust is only built after weeks, months, and years of being who you say you are and doing what you say you’ll do. It takes time, so start now, and if you need to rebuild trust in your relationship, you’ll need to work even harder.
7. Communication.
Healthy marriage partners communicate as much as possible. They certainly discuss kids’ schedules, grocery lists, and utility bills. But they don’t stop there. They also communicate hopes, dreams, fears, and anxieties. They don’t just discuss the changes taking place in the kid’s life; they also discuss the changes taking place in their hearts and souls.
We cannot look at the essential key forthright communication that becomes the foundation for so many other things on this list: commitment, patience, and trust—to name a few.
8. Selflessness.
Components of a Good Marriage
Although it will never show up on any survey, more marriages are broken up by selfishness than any other reason. Surveys blame it on finances, lack of commitment, infidelity, or incompatibility, but the root cause for most of these reasons is selfishness. A selfish person is committed only to themself, shows little patience, and never learns how to be a successful spouse. Give your hopes, dreams, and life to your partner. And begin to live life together. Of all the Components of a Good Marriage, this one stands out as very critical.
A successful and healthy marriage is more valuable than most temporal things we chase after with our lives. And will always last longer.
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