9 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR MARRIAGE HEALTHY

Day 2:  Have a financial plan

 

Nearly 40 percent of married people admit to lying to their spouse about a purchase, according to a 2004 poll, and money woes can quickly send your marriage south. In fact, money is the number-one reason couples fight, and relationships tend to suffer during poor economies. You should discuss and agree upon some hard financial ground rules, preferably before you tie the knot.
Don't fret if you're a spendthrift and your partner pinches pennies.
"It's probably not a good thing to have the exact same philosophy about money, " says Ken Robbins, M.D., a clinical professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. "But financial issues are best to resolve early on. You want to decide who is going to pay the bills, how much discretionary spending is reasonable, and how you're going to keep track of it all."

9 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR MARRIAGE HEALTHY

Today starts a series of 9 ways to keep your marriage healthy.  We will cover one way per day.  Please feel free to comment as we all can learn from one another.

DAY 1:

1. Watch your waistline
Now that you're married, you can finally relax and skip the gym, right? Wrong. Wedded couples tend to have fatter waistlines, which can spell trouble in terms of sexual attraction and general health.

A 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that your chances of becoming obese increase by 37 percent if your spouse becomes obese. So unless you want "till death do us part" to include chronic health issues like heart disease and diabetes, it's important to establish healthy eating habits early on.

But warding off weight gain isn't as simple as whipping up a healthy meal together. Eating with anyone -- from your spouse to coworker -- can cause you to consume 33 percent more than you would solo.
Being aware of the potential fatty pitfalls of marital bliss may be enough to keep your portion sizes in check. Spend couple time checking out local farmers' markets on the weekends in an effort to consumer fresher, low-calorie fare. Or schedule an exercise date to work off some of your hearty, homemade dinners.


 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST, November 12^th, 2012

5 Ways to Show Appreciation.

 Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Don't wait for your anniversary or your spouse's birthday to let your mate know how grateful you feel to have your spouse in your life.

 Five Ways to Show Your Appreciation

 Author Karen Leland suggests the following five ways to show appreciation:

 •1. Be specific.

 •2. Make it about character.

 •3. Drop a line; draft a note.

 •4. Be sincere.

 •5. Turnaround is fair play.

 

Bottom line, on a regular basis, write a note that mentions something you admire or appreciate about your spouse. Keep it sincere, personal, and specific!

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST, November 9^th, 2012

The Benefits of Walking Together:

 

The benefits of walking on a regular basis are well documented. Many walkers believe that walking is not only good for their hearts and bodies, walking is also good for their marriage.

 One step after another, walking together is a great way to connect with each other.

 

Reasons to Walk Together

• Walking is good exercise for both of you.

• Walking together gives the two of you some time alone, or if you take the kids with you, time outdoors as a family.

• Walking together provides time to talk to one another without the distraction of telephone, television, computer, etc.

• Walking together can reduce anxiety and make you feel calmer.

• Walking is good for your hearts.

• Walking can help you both lose weight.

• Walking can reduce any pain either of you may have in your lower-back.

• Aside from needing some comfortable walking shoes, walking is inexpensive.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST, November 8^th, 2012

HOW TO HAVE QUALITY TIME IN YOUR MARRIAGE:

Don't let your job or the kids or volunteer work or time with friends and extended family interfere with your marriage.

Many couples today find that being married doesn't guarantee that they will have quality time with one another. If you are both busy, you have to plan to spend time together. Here are some ideas.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Varies

Here's How:

1.Schedule a weekend just for the two of you. Write it on your calendar, put it on your computer planner, etc. Don't change it for any other event. You don't have to go anywhere.

2.Have lunch together once a week. On nice days, meet in a park.

3.Let your children know that you two need time alone together. Tell them they can knock on your closed bedroom door only if there is blood.

4.Walk around the block together.

5.Do chores together like the dishes or weeding. It may not sound like quality time, but it can be.

6.When you are running errands together, turn off the radio or CD player in the car and talk with one another.

7.Take showers together.

8.Spend 20 minutes a day in daily dialogue.

9.Arrange for a quiet evening at home alone once a month.

10.Hire a babysitter to watch the kids for a couple hours even though you are home. This works wonders!

11.Work out a deal with another couple to have them watch your kids overnight so you can have a romantic evening alone ... then you watch their children for them.

12.Schedule dates with one another. Having an evening or afternoon out together twice a month is a good beginning.

13.Volunteer to be a presenting couple on Marriage Encounter, Retrouvaille or Engaged Encounter weekends.

14.When you travel together, don't take work on the plane or road trip. Spend that time talking with each other.

15.Have a one night stand with each other.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST: November 7th, 2012 Simple Ways that Say I Love You

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST: November 7^th, 2012

Ways to Say I Love You

 

The best ways to say "I love you" to your spouse are usually in simple, every day, seemingly unimportant ways.

Here are some suggestions on how to say “I love you” so that your love for one another goes on forever.

•Make sure you say "I Love You" at least once each day to your spouse.

•Write unexpected love notes.

•When your spouse asks for a favor, consider saying "as you wish."

•Give your mate an unexpected hug, a surprisingly romantic kiss, or a teasing tickle often.

•Be spontaneous and surprising with winking at each other, whisking your spouse away for an unexpected weekend alone, star-gazing together, taking a walk in the rain with one another.

•Share memories by looking at old photographs and talking about memories you share together.

•Schedule a day to just be leisurely together.

I’m happy to know that Darrell & I have done all of these things together & we continue these practices day in & day out.  I know he loves me by simple actions every day.  I am a lucky woman to have such an amazing man that is so thoughtful.  He respects our relationship and puts in first in his life just as God would have it.  These may seem like simple acts but they are HUGE acts of love that will make a difference in your relationship with your spouse.  Give them all a try today!

~Maria

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST

MORE GREAT TIPS!

These aspects of marriage (not listed in any type of priority) are listed as necessary for a long lasting marriage.

 • Continue to build intimacy -- both sexually and emotionally -- throughout your marriage.

• Create passion for life and for one another.

• Forgive one another. Don't hang on to past baggage and past hurts. Be willing to let go and to move forward with your lives.

• Continue to be committed to each other and celebrate your sense of commitment.

• Like one another and be friends with each other.

• Have fun together, laugh together, and use humor in healthy ways.

• Comfort, encourage, and affirm one another.

• Be able to stand on your own feet as a couple and not be dependent either financially or emotionally on either of your parents.

• Respect one another's need for privacy and space.

• Parent together.

• Deal with a crisis and adversity together.

• Fight fair.

• Accept your differences and don't try to change your spouse.

• Keep romance alive in your marriage.