Another year is coming to an end, and that means another year of blog posts have been sent out into the world for your consumption. Which posts captured your interest the most this year?
According to our stats, you were most into understanding how to navigate those imperfect times in your relationship – breaking out of unproductive communication patterns and getting to the root of why you’re feeling more annoyed or less connected than usual. Let’s count down the top five: Read More
You’ve probably heard of the post-holiday blues, but what about a post-holiday marriage funk? The idea is the same – after a couple weeks of indulging in the parties, festivities, treats, and fixings, the return to normalcy when it’s all over can seem like a very rude awakening. If you’re both feeling moody and irritable individually, it’s not far-fetched to think you might take it out on each other – or fall into some negative relationship habits. Needless to say, this isn’t the best way to start out the new year.
Of course, this outcome isn’t inevitable by any means. Starting off strong – with intention – can set a positive tone for the coming months. Wondering how to start now? Here are 4 tips to consider: Read More
The holidays mean different things to everyone. They can even hold different meaning to you from one year or one season to the next. Whether you start counting down the days six months out or you silently dread the festivities, the reality is that the holidays as a couple can be filled with joy – and be a difficult time of year, for a variety of reasons.
Gaining awareness of this duality – and the fact that it’s normal – can help. Here are four truths about experiencing the holidays as a couple. Read More
At the end of a difficult or stressful day, is your marriage a soft place to land? Is it a comforting place you can turn to when you’re feeling down and out, vulnerable, or overwhelmed?
Of course we’d like to say the answer is always “yes,” but the reality is that sometimes marriage itself can be a source of stress and tension. While this is totally normal – and can actually be a positive sign of relationship growth – it’s definitely not a permanent state you want your marriage to be in.
Most of the time, we want our marriage to be that comforting home base we can turn to. So how can you make yours more of a sanctuary? Here are a five key tips. Read More
Be grateful. It’s a common mantra these days, and particularly at this time of year – and for good reason. Gratitude is associated with some pretty powerful effects, such as lower stress, higher resilience, and greater happiness overall. Research has found that these benefits extend to marriage as well, fostering positive feelings and stronger connection between spouses. And that’s something we can all get behind.
The key, of course, is making gratitude a consistent part of your daily life – a way of thinking and living instead of just something you focus on once a year. Wondering how to work on that? Here are 3 ways to add gratitude into your marriage every day. Read More
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you’re taking down the decorations and putting them in storage, and the next you’re taking them out all over again. Sometimes it feels like it’s hard to get ahead of it, especially if you had big intentions of incorporating some different things into your celebrations this year. Whether it’s trying new activities or switching things up from the usual traditions, you’ll want to start thinking about these things ahead of time, instead of waiting until the last minute.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up four types of traditions to start this holiday season. Read More
When it comes to date night, many couples are just happy to get one on the books a couple times a month. If you’ve made them a regular occurrence in your marriage, kudos! It’s not always easy to stay connected in the midst of your busy lives, but prioritizing date night is a great way to do that. So what happens when your regular date nights are starting to feel a bit too “same-old”? Or you’re transitioning into a new phase of life and your usual routine is getting harder to fit in? Sometimes it can help to get yourselves thinking outside the box. Here are four ways to redefine date night. Read More
How comfortable are you with… getting uncomfortable? Whether it’s cringing through an incredibly awkward social interaction or having to face one of your biggest fears, people usually don’t like to sit in those feelings for too long or seek them out too often. Of course, everyone is different. People have varying thresholds and tendencies when it comes to taking risks or going outside their comfort zone. But never doing so means you could be missing out on personal growth, instead settling for complacency or stagnation. This not only applies to you individually, but in your marriage as well. Here are three times getting uncomfortable in your relationship is worth it. Read More
Many of us have a third wheel in our marriage. It sneakily steals time and attention normally given to each other. It interrupts special and intimate moments. It exacerbates existing trust issues. Sometimes, you might even spend more time gazing at it than you do your spouse. Instead of trying to distance ourselves from it, we keep it by our side at all times.
No, it’s not a nosy friend or an overbearing family member causing these issues. It’s your phone.
Let’s be honest – even if you feel like you’ve got a good handle on how much you’re on your phone, it’s easy to fall into bad habits. Let’s dive into what to be aware of and how you can ensure your phones aren’t coming between you and your spouse. Read More
Another busy week is coming to an end. You and your spouse are excited to have a wide-open weekend in front of you. Sure, there are the usual chores to complete, and of course you’re planning on some time to just hang out and relax. This all sounds great, but you can’t help but feel like something is missing… like a shared hobby.
Pursuing hobbies and pastimes that bring you joy helps nurture a healthy sense of independence and fulfillment, which benefits your individual wellbeing. Likewise, sharing a hobby with your partner can enrich the time you spend together, ultimately strengthening your bond. However, finding a shared hobby isn’t always easy, for various reasons. Maybe you have very different preferences and interests, or you’re coming out of a season of life when you didn’t have much free time. Whatever the case, if you’re looking for some practical tips to discover a hobby you can share with your spouse, you’ve come to the right place. Read More
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