What have you done for your marriage today? The happiest relationships are the ones where both spouses actively work on their marriage on a daily basis by paying attention to each other, communicating and addressing their issues. Here are five habits you can adopt now for a happy marriage.

Listen

You and your spouse talk all the time, but do you actually listen to each other? Learn to actively listen to your spouse to better understand how they feel about things. You can become a better listener by asking questions, repeating what your spouse said to make sure you fully understood and by paying attention to their tone and body language. It will be easier to open up about your feelings, about your problems and about what you want from the marriage if you both feel like the other is a good listener.

Say Nice Things

Always look for nice things to say to your spouse. Everyone wants to feel appreciated and you can build a stronger and happier marriage by paying attention to each other and expressing it through compliments. This might not sound like much but complimenting your spouse on their appearance or thanking them for something they did can go a long way.

Laugh Together

It is important to laugh together and to be each other’s best friend. You need to find some time to laugh with your spouse even if you are going through some difficult times. Laughing together will bring you closer and help you stay positive. Being able to laugh at anything with your spouse will make daily life a lot more pleasant, even if you are not doing anything different from your usual routine.

 

 

 

Following are tips to help strengthen your marriage. But first, check out my products related to marriage health.

Surprise Your Spouse

It is very easy to fall into a routine and to eventually tune out from each other. Make a conscious effort to surprise your spouse to keep your marriage interesting. You don’t have to do much to make your spouse feel special and appreciated. Finding a small gift for them, doing something nice for them or even changing something about your appearance are great ways to surprise your spouse.

Talk Often

You and your spouse should be able to talk about anything. Always take the time to ask them how their day was in the evening. Ask your spouse questions about the things you know they care about and ask for their opinions on the topics that interest you.

When you have conversations about your marriage on a regular basis it keeps the lines of communication open. This helps to make sure your relationship is satisfying for the two of you. Additionally, any interesting conversation is an occasion to communicate and feel closer to your spouse.

These simple habits will help you build a happy marriage but adopting them will probably require some effort. You can build a better marriage by becoming aware of the things that need to change in your daily routine and by talking together about the things you each would like to do differently.

     

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    Waverly Hanson

    Waverly Hanson

    Marriage Counselor & Author

    In my personal life, I have had a long successful marriage and have remarried following my husband's death.  I have had three sons and helped raise a niece for three years and have seven grandchildren.  I have loved spending time with them as they were growing up.

    I also enjoy getting together with family and friends, ATVing in the mountains, photography, hiking, and traveling. I also enjoy reading, creating art, decorating, and serving others by volunteering. 

    Assisting couples in rebuilding their marriages has been so rewarding as I've had the privilege of seeing hundreds of couples reunite and get back to being positively connected to one another. 

    I also work with personal development and those who want to move forward by making positive improvements such as goal setting, self-care, boundaries, behavioral improvements, overcoming procrastination, conflict management, etc.