Your marriage is something that you need to work on every day of your life. You can grow old with your spouse and find happiness if you really commit to each other and make sure that you take care of your and one another’s needs.

These five things will help you build a strong marriage:

#1: Learn To Talk About Your Problems

You should be able to talk about anything with your spouse so that you can find a solution or a compromise. Bringing up problems in your marriage should not lead to a fight but should instead result in a discussion. You can develop the skills to have fair discussions, listen to each other’s point of view and have respect for each other so you can express yourselves in a safe environment.  (Many people do not have this skill but can learn it.)

Check out this post to learn how: Use Real Communication

#2: Laugh Together

This might seem trivial but laughing together will make you and your spouse feel closer than ever before. You can watch a funny movie, go see a show, tell each other jokes or simply make funny stories of things that happen all around you to other people. The happiest couples are the ones who share inside jokes and who can laugh at anything.

#3: Pay Attention To Each Other

It is important to acknowledge your spouse and make them feel valued. A lot of couples end up ignoring each other after being married for a while.

Make a conscious effort to respond and engage in a conversation when your spouse says something. Make sure your spouse knows you appreciate them and find small things you can do to make them feel special.

#4: Do New Things Together

Your marriage will never become boring if you always look for new things to do together. Look for activities that you both enjoy and try something that your spouse has always wanted to do even if it isn’t your cup of tea.

Visiting new places together, trying new activities, and socializing with new people together will help keep things interesting.

Also doing things that benefit others or projects that are bigger than yourselves can be very fulfilling. Some of these things can include serving at homeless shelters, donating to needy causes, etc. Going on a missions trip could change you forever and help you realize how really privileged you are.

Following are tips to help strengthen your marriage. But first, check out my FREE ebook on how to have a healthy marriage.

#5: Develop A Fulfilling Life Outside The Marriage

Your marriage is important but you shouldn’t expect your spouse to meet all your needs. It is healthy to spend some time away from each other and to hang out with a group of friends or to simply be by yourself if you are the type who needs some alone time.

Developing some interests and hobbies outside of your marriage, socializing, or working on your career will help you become happier and you will be able to bring more to the marriage.

Naturally, I am not referring to relationships with the opposite sex which are inappropriate. If you are texting or talking in ways you would not want your spouse to hear, you know that is out of bounds.

Often these kinds of incidents occur when people have been drinking or doing drugs or hanging out in bars. Beware of those types of actions which will certainly threaten your marriage.

These five things listed above will help you build a strong marriage. Do you feel that they have been missing from your relationship?

If so, please talk with your spouse and look for ways to improve things. It is never too late to start working on your marriage or to make a few changes.

You can find happiness with your spouse if you focus on becoming each other’s best friends and build the kind of relationship that will bring your fulfillment as you grow old together.