There are so many married couples who are always happy, even when things aren’t going smoothly in life. But how do they manage to be so positive and upbeat? How do they maintain their relationship in good times and in bad?
Well thankfully you don’t have to see someone else’s happy marriage, compare it to your own, and then feel even more discouraged.
No relationship is perfect, but if you’re willing to put the work in no matter the challenges, you can build up your marriage and love with the advice below.
It might not come overnight, but when you’re practicing these habits, you can create something even stronger. ♥️
1. They Don’t Share Fights With Others
Happy couples can argue, but they never turn to people outside of their marriage. That is unless it’s a counselor or someone who’s a healthy influence and has been through that same situation.
What happens in your marriage should stay between the two of you, so try to not talk negatively about your significant other in front of other people.
If you do, your friends or family members might not give you the best advice. And especially if they’ve never been married themselves or never went through that specific situation.
They’re just gonna give advice that feels right to them, not what’s right for fixing the issue at hand.
Also, no one wants their personal information told to others, so make sure to keep it private.
2. They Know How to Have Fun
Sometimes couples forget to have fun after getting married, but happy couples keep this in practice.
They know that they can always enjoy each other’s company, whether before or after getting married.
So don’t let your flirting stay in the past, try to have fun just like when you first met.
Find new adventures, go on an outing to your first date location, or find new ways to romance each other! There’s so much you can do. 🙂
3. They Express Their Love
If you want to build up your own marital happiness, then this is one you really can’t ignore.
Happily married couples don’t hesitate to show their love for each other. Everybody likes to hear they’re loved. But these couples don’t just do it in words, they do it in action as well.
Example: You could send him a romantic message, love poems for him, and take part in an activity he likes doing. This can really make him feel thought of and more connected to you.
4. They Empathize With Each Other
When you’re married, you have a better understanding of your spouse. And people in healthy relationships understand how to think of the other person first and take care of them when they’re hurting.
They know how to empathize with their pains and listen to what they’re going through.
It’s so simple but it can really make all the difference!
5. They’re Supportive
Make sure that what’s important to them is always important to you.
We all have goals and dreams in mind, but when we’re not supported, we tend to give up on them easily.
And the key to a happy marriage is to be supportive of each other because it shows your spouse that you care about them and believe in their dreams.
And because of this, your marriage will be stronger than ever because you’ll both know you’re not alone on the journey.
6. They Forgive and Forget
Happy couples also fight, it’s just gonna happen.
But they also know how to forgive. So it doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong, forgiving (and not holding a grudge) is one of the best ways to keep a relationship healthy.
7. They’re Communicating Their Needs
The truth is that your partner CAN’T read your mind. And you can’t read their mind either!
If you want a strong and healthy marriage, you should always keep an open line of communication when it comes to needs, desires, feelings, and concerns.
Healthy couples understand that their spouse is not perfect; they’re human and they’re not always gonna see what you need. And sometimes you might have to tell them more than once. But that’s ok! It’s apart of being human and you’re the same as them. You make mistakes and don’t always get it right.
Which means you both need some grace for each other and to always let each other know what’s going on inside.
8. They Respect Each Other
Showing respect is crucial for a happy marriage; you and your partner need to be respected and appreciated.
So happy couples are always great listeners and speak to the other one with respect because they realize that their spouse deserves that.
Also, they understand that they would want to be treated the same way. If saying a certain phrase would hurt them, then they’re certainly not gonna say it to their spouse.
9. They Don’t Ignore the Hard Topics
Difficult situations and uncomfortable conversations are going to come up. And if you want your marriage to grow strong, then hoping they’ll just disappear isn’t really an option.
Healthy married couples come together when they need to discuss hard topics, they never avoid. And when they do go over them, they listen and come to a good solution that’s going to work in the long run.
It’s not fun, but it’s better than building up resentment or having those problems show up in worse ways down the road.
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.