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Ann Malmberg

Spread Holiday Cheer in Your Marriage

Spread Holiday Cheer in Your Marriage (All Year Long)

By Relationship BasicsOne Comment

Are you someone who loves the holidays? Do you have an extra spring in your step as you hum along to your favorite Christmas music? If you consider yourself the epitome of holiday cheer, do you find that your attitude carries over into your marriage as well?

For many, there’s something about the season that makes everything have more sparkle. The very fact that it’s temporary might be part of what makes it so special. In the blink of an eye, you’re packing away the decorations and getting back to the grind. But what if you carried that positivity and goodwill into your marriage all year long? Here are 4 examples to consider. Read More

December 3, 2025
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How Gratitude Transforms Your Marriage

How Gratitude Transforms Your Marriage

By Relationship Basics4 Comments

You probably say “thank you” many times each day, but gratitude is about more than simply uttering these two words out of habit. It’s about feeling that sense of gratefulness deep within your heart, internalizing it in a way that shapes your entire mindset and perspective – and your marriage, as well. The positive effects of gratitude have the power to send positive ripples throughout your relationship – here’s how: Read More

November 25, 2025
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Be Great Teammates This Holiday Season

Be Great Teammates This Holiday Season

By Relationship Dynamics, Resilience2 Comments

It’s that time of year again, when we find ourselves staring at the calendar in bewilderment. How have the month’s flown by so fast? Is the holiday season really around the corner already?!

While it’s a favorite time of year for many, it’s also a season that brings lots of baggage along with it. Difficult emotions and negative experiences can ride right alongside the positive ones. It can be a lot to navigate individually, let alone as a couple or family. Fortunately, you can avoid letting the holidays strain your marriage. Here’s how you and your spouse can be good teammates throughout the season: Read More

November 12, 2025
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3 Things That Strain or Strengthen Your Marriage

3 Things That Strain (or Strengthen) Your Marriage

By ResilienceNo Comments

Have you faced adversity in your life that could have sent you spiraling down a negative path? A career setback, an illness or injury, or even just a run of bad luck has the potential to leave you discouraged, defeated, or harboring a pessimistic view on life. But that outcome is not predetermined. In fact, it can make you a stronger, more resilient person. Your marriage is no different. You and your spouse will go through things that can either strain – or strengthen – your marriage. Here are 3 examples: Read More

November 5, 2025
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5 Patterns to Establish in Your Marriage

4 Patterns to Establish in Your Marriage

By Relationship Basics17 Comments

Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in negative patterns in your marriage? Maybe it’s a cycle of criticism and defensiveness, or resentment that builds until a blowout argument. You might feel discouraged – how did you even get into the pattern in the first place? All it takes is a couple of instances to set a precedent. A pattern forms, and it’s hard to break out of.

What can you do to avoid this? One way is to be more intentional about establishing positive patterns instead. Here are four examples: Read More

October 29, 2025
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Handling Hot Topics in Social Situations

Handling Hot Topics in Social Settings

By Conflict2 Comments

Imagine you and your spouse are out celebrating a friend’s birthday. You’re chatting away catching up with another couple, and they ask you if you’re going on any vacations this year. You immediately tense up. They wouldn’t know this, but this has been a sore spot in your marriage for the last couple of months. Your spouse shoots you a look; you shoot them one back.

Have you been in this situation before? A major point of contention between you and your spouse comes up in front of others. Maybe it’s something you’ve been arguing about, like in the example. Or it could be an elephant in the room that you haven’t discussed yet. Either way, you’re caught off-guard and put on the spot. Maybe there’s awkward silence, or you can feel your emotions start to bubble up. How do you respond? Here are a few tips for handling hot topics in social settings. Read More

October 15, 2025
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Newlywed Arguments That Are Good For Your Marriage

Newlywed Arguments That Are Good For Your Marriage

By Premarital, Resilience3 Comments

It’s inevitable: the honeymoon period wears off, and you have that first big argument as a married couple. If you were expecting butterflies, rainbows, and happily ever after, it can come as a bit of a surprise. Even if you had a more realistic perspective, it can throw you for a loop.

The truth is, it’s normal for new conflicts to arise once you’re married, and for existing ones to pop up again. Marriage isn’t a cure all. In many ways it can feel it adds complexity to issues and ups the stakes when it comes to resolving them. But conflict is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, working through these common points of contention as newlyweds can actually be good for your marriage in the long run. Read More

October 8, 2025
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A Marriage Meeting That Works

A Marriage Meeting That Works

By Relationship Basics4 Comments

Does it ever feel like you and your spouse are operating from different playbooks? Do you feel like you need to call a time-out so you can get on the same page? When you’re stressed out about the budget, but your spouse is focused solely on meal planning for the week, how do you move forward productively as a team?

We’ve long touted the benefits of a regular relationship check-in. After all, a strong marriage is the foundation and heart of your family. But we also recognize that a lot more goes into keeping a household running smoothly, and when you’re not aligned on those other things, it affects your relationship, too. That’s where a regular marriage meeting comes in. While a typical relationship check-in is all about – you guessed it – your relationship, a marriage meeting can be a more all-encompassing chance to get aligned on the other things that make up your daily life together. Here are some tips to creating a marriage meeting that works. Read More

October 1, 2025
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