MARRIED LIFE
Rules for a Happy Marriage: The Secret to a Stable Family
“We loved with a love that was more than love.” — Edgar Allan Poe
But is love really all you need for a happy marriage?
Matrimony is the pinnacle of a relationship, in which a couple exchanges vows to engage in and share conjugal roles. As husband and wife, you make a lifetime covenant and vow to accept the full responsibilities that come with these roles. Hence, it now falls on you to provide each other with a safe and happy environment that you can grow old together with.
You need the foundations of a happy marriage to foster the makings of a stable family if you want your union to work in the long run. This essentially means that your family needs to feel secure and emotionally supported by one another.
So what are these foundations?
Aside from loving each other, there are basic, albeit unwritten rules for a happy marriage you can follow. While these are not the be-all and end-all of marriages, they are a good start towards the secure and stable family that you are hoping for.
The University of Rochester Medical Center lists these as keys to a successful marriage:
Spend Time Together
The very minimum in a marriage is to spend quality time together. Your partner shouldn’t need to plead for your attention; you just take the time to inquire about their day. Your partner will feel valued and heard if you make time for them even on your busiest days.
Practice Courtesy
When you respect your spouse, you reassure them that you won’t do anything to hurt them — physically, emotionally, or even psychologically. This basically means that you will honor them with your words and deeds, regardless of the situations that may arise. Your partner will honor and respect you in return when you treat them with dignity.
Maintain Trust
Trust is the foundation of a stable family, making it an essential component of a fulfilling marriage. You will have peace of mind knowing that your partner — while having the freedom to do as they like — always has your best interest in mind.
Value Forgiveness
It’s critical that you both recognize the importance of resolving disagreements in a marriage. Forgiveness allows you to see each other eye to eye even in the midst of a terrible misunderstanding. With forgiveness, disagreements become a tool that makes your relationship stronger rather than a cause division. It should be you and your partner against the problem, and not you against your partner.
Ensure Openness and Honesty
Open and honest communication between you and your partner is a basic requirement in marriage. It keeps everyone in the loop. Discuss life matters — bad or good — together and be open to disagreements. Accept criticism from your partner so you can compromise and come up with solutions to your problems together.
Applying the basic rules for a happy marriage is a given that both of you, as a couple, can choose to do. It’s a matter of teamwork, understanding, and compromise. With these unwritten rules in mind, you should be on your way towards a happy and fulfilling marriage.
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