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Mar 08
Love0
Couple holding hands in love

Don’t Let a Bad Day Come Between You

By Connection, Resilience 8 Comments

How’s your day going? Maybe everything’s going your way. The sun’s shining, you hit all green lights on your commute, got great feedback from your boss on a big project, and tonight is date night. Or maybe it’s been one of those days – can anything else go wrong? You overslept, spilled your entire mug of coffee, and snapped at your spouse, all before leaving the house – and it didn’t get any better from there.

We’ve all been there. A bad day – or even just a bad start to your day – can throw you off entirely, affecting not only your own mood and wellbeing, but your relationship with your spouse as well. One bad day here and there seems harmless, but if we’re not cognizant of the way we handle them, negative patterns can begin to take hold. So how can you prevent a bad day from coming between you? Here are five tips to consider. Read More

Feb 23
Love0
Family of five holding hands walking through meadow

How Parenting Brings You Closer

By Connection, Parenting 2 Comments

There’s no getting around it.

Having kids changes your relationship. It’s probably not the first time you’ve heard this, and you may have experienced it yourself. We often hear about the negatives – how you have so much less time and energy to focus on each other, how easy it is to become disconnected, how if you’re not careful you can end up like roommates instead of spouses. Yes, these things are a reality for many couples at some point, but fortunately, it’s not the whole story. There are a lot of positive ways that your relationship changes when you become parents, too. Let’s explore some of the ways it can bring you closer as a couple. Read More

Feb 16
Love0
Happy couple laughing while browsing laptop and sitting with dog

5 Signs You Need to Check Your Expectations

By Relationship Basics 8 Comments

“That movie was such a letdown. From what everyone’s been saying, I expected it to be so much better!”

Have you ever experienced this kind of disappointment? Expectations have a huge effect on the way you perceive and experience life. Whether it’s that over-hyped movie, a party you thought you’d leave early (but ended up staying late), or the difficulty in transitioning to a new life stage, sometimes your own expectations can cloud the true nature of the situation at hand. In marriage, this can be a particularly game-changing realization – that you have the power within yourself to feel happier and more satisfied in your relationship. If you’ve been struggling in your relationship lately, here are five signs you might need to check your expectations. Read More

Feb 09
Love0
Couple celebrating Valentine's Day

3 Ways to Embrace Valentine’s Day Differently This Year

By Connection, Quality Time 4 Comments

There’s certainly some truth to the idea that Valentine’s Day is a manufactured holiday that coerces us to spend oodles of money on special chocolates, lackluster flowers, heart-shaped pizza, and jewelry we’re not even sure we want. A quick internet search will tell you that Americans spend somewhere between $20-30 billion on Valentine’s Day. That’s a lot of money to spend to show your love. And it’s not just money! The holiday brings all kinds of other pressure, too. Pressure to connect, feel close, and be head over heels in love with your partner.

Between that pressure and the money you’ll spend, it’s easy to say to your spouse, “Hey, this year, let’s just skip the whole ‘Valentine’s’ thing. We know we love each other, so let’s save the money and avoid the hoopla.”

But should you? Read More

Feb 02
Love0
Man Hugging Laughing Woman While Standing in Body of Water

4 Things That Happen When You Stop Trying To Change Each Other

By Relationship Dynamics 31 Comments

Licking your elbow. Herding cats. Nailing jello to the wall. All things that could be considered a waste of time and effort. Let’s add changing your spouse’s personality to that list.

Here’s the thing: your personality doesn’t really change. It tends to stay stable over time, which makes sense. It’s what makes you you. Sure, certain facets might modulate slightly as you pass from adolescence into adulthood or as you gain more life experience and perspective, but by and large – personality stays the same.

Most of us know this, logically. But we’re human, and we inevitably find ourselves wishing our partner was a little less this or a little more that. We get annoyed and frustrated. We wish they’d think or do things differently. However, when you shift to a mindset of acceptance, some really positive things happen in your relationship. Read More

Jan 26
Love0
Cheerful couple walking together across a bridge

4 Reasons You’re Misunderstanding Each Other

By Relationship Basics 13 Comments

“Why would you say that?”
“That’s not what I meant. I never said that!”
“Well, that’s what it sounded like to me!”

Have you ever found yourself in a similar argument with your spouse? You were trying to communicate with each other – great! But somewhere along the way, wires got crossed. Now someone is mad, frustrated, or got their feelings hurt – not great. Where did things go wrong? Let’s explore a few reasons why you’re misunderstanding each other – and how to cut through the noise. Read More

Jan 19
Love0
Couple hugging and laughing

How To Talk About Your Relationship (Without Feeling Awkward)

By Relationship Basics 2 Comments

If you’ve read a few of our blog posts, you’ve probably noticed that we often encourage couples to talk to each other about their relationship. Feeling dissatisfied? Talk about it. Dealing with an unresolved conflict? Talk about it. Want to be a better spouse? Talk about it. And it’s true – honest, consistent communication about what’s working (or needs work) in your relationship is vital to staving off complacency and strengthening your connection. But sometimes, it just doesn’t come naturally. Read More

Jan 12
Love0
Cheerful couple jogging outside

4 Healthy Habits to Commit to Together

By Connection, Relationship Dynamics 8 Comments

Whether you’re into making New Year’s resolutions or not, one thing we can agree on is that creating healthy habits, no matter what time of year, is a worthwhile endeavor. And what’s even better than establishing healthy habits on your own? Committing to them with your spouse. You’re not only able to hold each other accountable, you’re also able to encourage and motivate each other to stick with it. This makes the a perfect combination for long-term success! Here are four healthy habits to commit to together: Read More

Jan 05
Love0
Couple holding hands, looking at each other walking down snowy street

What We Learn From Looking Back

By Resilience 3 Comments

They say you shouldn’t live in the past, and that’s probably true. But learning from the past – that’s a different story. In fact, taking time to reflect on the year gone by – whether it’s a calendar year or another year of marriage – is a great way to learn more about yourself, your partner, and your relationship. So cozy up together and talk through some of these questions, maybe even grab a piece of paper to jot down some notes. Consider them from both an individual and couple perspective. We’ll provide some context for what we can learn and how they can help you gain valuable insight. Read More

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