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Jun 26
Love0
4 Different Ways You Support Your Spouse

4 Different Ways You Support Your Spouse

By Resilience 5 Comments

Supporting your spouse seems like a given, right? Maybe your wedding vows didn’t express it in those exact words (or maybe they did), but the central tenet remains: the lifelong commitment you’ve made to each other includes supporting each other through whatever life throws your way.

When we think of supporting someone, we often associate it with them being in a weakened state or in a time of need. In marriage, that can certainly be the case. Other times, supporting your spouse can take a much more subtle form.

Are you appreciating all the ways your spouse supports you, or missing opportunities to support them? Let’s explore the wide range of ways you can support each other throughout your marriage. Read More

Jun 19
Love0
4 Surprising Ways You Invest In Your Marriage

4 Surprising Ways You Invest in Your Marriage

By Resilience 4 Comments

When you think of investing in something, what comes to mind? If money immediately pops into your head, you’re probably not alone. It’s true – investing is often associated with finances. But in this post we’ll be talking about what is arguably the most important investment in your life – your marriage!

When you get married, you’re investing all you have into that commitment – financially, sure – but also on levels much deeper than that. Energy, time, emotion, love – you put all of those eggs into the basket that is your marriage. You’re banking on a lifelong commitment and a future together.

So what does this look like in the context of everyday life? Here are four surprising ways you invest in your marriage: Read More

Jun 12
Love0
6 reasons newlywed counseling makes sense

6 Reasons Newlywed Counseling Makes Sense

By Premarital, Relationship Basics 2 Comments

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you did some form of premarital counseling, and that’s great! It’s a proven and proactive way to get your marriage off on the right foot. Premarital education is where Prepare/Enrich first made its mark over 40 years ago, and it goes without saying that we couldn’t be bigger proponents of it.

But what happens after the wedding, when you start living the real married life? What do you do when you encounter those first big conflicts or need help navigating issues you never could have foreseen before marriage? It seems like this would be a really good time for another check-in on your relationship – in the form of newlywed counseling. Read More

Jun 05
Love0
Communication Mistakes We Make When We're Stressed

4 Communication Mistakes We Make When We’re Stressed

By Relationship Basics 4 Comments

You missed an appointment you’d been waiting on for months because the car is acting up again. You just got a call from your son’s school about some behavior issues, and – oh look, the dog threw up on the carpet. ARGH! You’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, to say the least. Now, your spouse walks in looking serious and wants to talk.

Let’s hit pause here for a second. What do you think happens next? It’s probably pretty safe to assume that you aren’t in the best state of mind for a serious conversation with your partner. In fact, here are four communication mistakes we tend to make when we’re stressed out or overwhelmed. Read More

May 22
Love0
Decision Fatigue & Marriage

Decision Fatigue and Marriage

By Relationship Basics 10 Comments

“What should we have for dinner tonight?”

It’s an innocent question, yet it’s one that couples everywhere can probably relate to dreading at some point. Your spouse poses the question and your immediate feeling is UGH. Maybe you get disproportionately annoyed and take it out on them. Or perhaps it feels like just another thing piled on your already full plate (no pun intended). What is so triggering about it? Is it really about figuring out dinner? More often than not, it’s tied to a broader issue. Read More

May 15
Love0
How Humor Leads to Harmony

How Humor Leads to Harmony

By Relationship Dynamics 6 Comments

A great sense of humor often ranks near the top of the list of desirable traits in a potential spouse. And for good reason – who doesn’t want to be married to someone who will keep you in stitches throughout your marriage? Not only that, but humor can help you maintain a positive perspective during challenging situations or seasons of life, making your relationship more resilient. In other words, your marriage will be better equipped to handle the unpredictability that life throws your way.

And that’s not all! Leaning into laughter can also create a more peaceful dynamic in your marriage. Here’s how humor leads to harmony: Read More

May 08
Love0
Top 5 Conflict Issues

5 Most Common Conflict Issues

By Conflict 2 Comments

When it comes to conflict in your marriage, it can sometimes feel like you’re the only couple who regularly deals with certain issues. It might seem like other couples have a much easier time resolving conflict or that it shouldn’t be so hard for you and your spouse. That can feel pretty isolating. But we’re going to let you in on a secret: most couples, even those that are skilled in conflict resolution, deal with a common set of conflict-related problems in their marriage.

That’s right. Prepare/Enrich data has pinpointed five of the most common conflict issues reported by a majority of couples. Here’s what they are: Read More

May 01
Love0
a smiling man spinning his wife around

5 Keys to a Happy Marriage

By Relationship Basics 5 Comments

Are happy couples just built different? Are they more compatible or agreeable and have a happier marriage as a result? Or are they doing something differently? It turns out it can be a combination of both. While this might seem like a cop-out answer, it’s actually good news. It means that while some couples might have a certain level of “meant to be” going for them, you have the power to improve your marriage if it’s not where you’d like it to be. It means that you’re not simply doomed to unhappiness if you and your spouse are facing some challenges or going through a tough season.

So what are these characteristics that set happy couples apart from unhappy couples? Here’s where we can actually provide some specific answers. Over the last 40+ years, Prepare/Enrich has gathered mountains of data on this very topic and found that these are the five keys to a happy marriage: Read More

Apr 24
Love0
Don't Say Yes to the Wedding Stress

Don’t Say Yes to the Wedding Stress

By Premarital 2 Comments

Engagement is often touted as one of the most exciting times of your life. Sure, the actual act of getting engaged might live up to the hype. You’re giddy in love with your new fiancé, and you’ve just marked a momentous turning point in your relationship. You know lots of really special moments lie ahead – moments you’ll remember for the rest of your life. In the meantime, you’ve got a wedding to plan.

Little do you know that hiding on the other side of that emotional high is a potential mountain of wedding-related stress. If you’re not careful, it can ruin the whole experience – and strain your relationship, too. We’re not trying to scare you, but we do want to help you be prepared to face these common sources of stress as you plan your wedding. Let’s dive in. Read More

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