Don’t Let Your Relationship Fade: 20 Tips for a Lasting Marriage

Marriage is a commitment to love and cherish each other in sickness and health, for richer or poorer. But over time, the spark of romance may begin to fade, and some people may tell you that it’s just the natural course of things. However, they couldn’t be more wrong. If you follow these 20 wise tips, you can keep your marriage exciting and special for years to come.

1. Never Stop Dating
2. Protect Your Own Heart
3. Always See the Best in Each Other
4. It’s Not Your Job to Fix the Other
5. Take Full Accountability for Your Emotions
6. Give Each Other Space
7. Be Willing to Share Your Feelings
8. Never Stop Growing Together
9. Fight Fair
10. Forgive Immediately
11. Let Go of Past Hurt
12. Learn How to Compromise
13. Respect Each Other
14. Don’t Compare Your Spouse or Relationship
15. Be Patient
16. Don’t Expect the Other to Read Your Mind
17. Talk About Your Goals
18. Listen
19. Have Fun Together
20. Keep Your Sense of Humor

1. Never Stop Dating

Just because you’re married, it doesn’t mean that dating should come to an end. Don’t succumb to the daily grind and make time for each other every month. Go out to the movies, dinner, or spend some fun time outside of the house alone together.

2. Protect Your Own Heart

You can’t let your partner trample over your heart. Your spouse may sometimes say or do things that hurt your feelings unintentionally. Take a step back, understand that it’s not intentional, protect yourself and communicate with them about what happened and how it made you feel.

3. Always See the Best in Each Other

During the dating period, we naturally tend to see only the best in our partners. But over time, it’s natural that we judge a little harsher, given the commitment we have. We need to remember the good qualities that made us fall in love with our spouse and avoid letting any small and annoying habits outweigh the good.

4. It’s Not Your Job to Fix the Other

You fell in love with your spouse for a reason, and you can’t change them just because you’re married now. Trust them and the good in them, and if it’s a significant issue, have a heart-to-heart conversation and expect them to take your concerns into consideration and change themselves.

5. Take Full Accountability for Your Emotions

It’s a fact that fights get emotional, but when you say or do something in anger or hurt, take responsibility for it. Acknowledge your fault, explain why you said it, apologize for it, and let it go.

6. Give Each Other Space

Spending all your free time together isn’t mandatory just because you’re married. Giving space to each other allows you to have more to talk about when you come together, get relaxed, and pursue hobbies and interests.

7. Be Willing to Share Your Feelings

Don’t keep your feelings bottled up, communicate them. Discuss your issues and ensure that your partner understands how you feel and why. Communication is vital so that there aren’t misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

8. Never Stop Growing Together

Growing together with your partner requires frequent conversations about what you want for your family, relationship, and careers. Ensure that you are on the same page and have the same goals in mind, or else you’ll grow apart.

9. Fight Fair

During arguments or fights, emotions run high, but it’s essential to fight fair. Don’t bring up old secrets or use hurtful words that can linger. It detracts from the original issue and causes the fight to go off-topic.

10. Forgive Immediately

Forgive your spouse even when you don’t feel like it. Grudges are counterproductive and make you feel worse within. The earlier you forgive, the sooner you let go of the resentment and negative feelings.

11. Let Go of Past Hurt

Holding grudges and revisiting past fights will only hurt your marriage. Once a fight is over, learn your lesson, forgive your partner and move on.

12. Learn How to Compromise

In any partnership, nobody wins every fight. Learn how to compromise instead of forcing your way. It’s an adult way of solving problems, and it allows both partners to win.

13. Respect Each Other

Respect is paramount in any partnership. Avoid calling each other names, avoiding jabs at each other’s style, careers, or interests. The same respect should apply even when your spouse is not around.

14. Don’t Compare Your Spouse or Relationship

Remember that your spouse is perfect for you, and your relationship is perfect for both of you as well. Don’t compare your relationship to others since it creates unnecessary comparisons and may lead to unrealistic expectations.

15. Be Patient

Rome was not built in a day, and neither is the perfect marriage. Be patient as you learn to grow together, make adjustments, and achieve your goals.

16. Don’t Expect the Other to Read Your Mind

Partners are not mind readers, talk to each other clearly so that there isn’t any confusion. If there is something bothering you, take the initiative, and speak up to avoid misunderstandings.

17. Talk About Your Goals

Have an open conversation about each other’s goals for your family, relationship, and career. Ensure that you are on the same track and can support each other.

18. Listen

Both partners should have a chance to speak without interruptions. Listening is important because it facilitates mutual understanding and respect. If both parties feel heard, they are likely to reciprocate the same respect.

19. Have Fun Together

Remember to have fun, joke, and enjoy each other’s company. A successful marriage requires love, understanding, and a good sense of humor.

20. Keep Your Sense of Humor

Laughing together is an essential part of any successful marriage. Maintaining a good sense of humor enables both partners to stay positive during challenging times.

Conclusion

Marriage can be challenging at times, but it is a beautiful and rewarding commitment to make. With these 20 tips, you can maintain the spark of romance in your relationship and ensure that you grow together as a couple. Remember, it’s not about fixing and changing your partners, but learning how to navigate any situation with love, patience, and respect.