OK, I am going to start things off with a very important question.
What is your favorite romantic comedy?
And I’m not talking about any old rom-com, friend. I am talking about the ONE!
The one with cheesy lines and possibly a few awkward dance scenes.
That movie you watch with a smile on your face. And maybe you even re-watch certain parts 27 times. That’s not just me, right?
Why do marriages fail?
I’m sure you have a few heavy hitters that come to mind. Cheating. Lies. Finances.
But let’s put those ideas in the background and look at this from a different angle.
OK, hurtful words in marriage. I bet you can think of a few.
Words are powerful.
Words can be extremely hurtful.
I think it is safe to say we can all agree with those statements.
And you know what else we can all agree on?
When you think of how to be a better spouse, what comes to mind?
Being a better listener. Being more understanding. Making sure you put the toilet paper on the holder the right way. Never leaving just one cookie in the container.
Married life is great.
How many times have you heard someone say this?
Let me rephrase that.
How many times have you heard someone say that and sensed they were being a little sarcastic?
What’s the first thing you think of when you see (or hear or read) the word transform?
When I see that word I immediately think of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
But don’t worry. We are not about to start a deep discussion about butterflies. Pretty sure you knew that but I just wanted to be crystal clear.
Fun. Who doesn’t like having fun?
But let me ask you this.
Are you having fun in your marriage?
What are the keys to a successful marriage?
Are there certain things that absolutely need to be happening in order for a relationship to qualify as a success?
I wish those questions had simple and straight forward answers.
I wish there was a marriage checklist that made things nice and easy.
But here’s the deal.
You don’t just want to get married, you want to stay married.
We can all agree on that, right?
That’s where these things my marriage needed more of come in.
Picture your marriage as a plant and these tips are the water! They will keep your marriage plant standing tall and strong.
Marriage.
No one teaches you how to be married.
I mean, there are lots of things out there meant to prepare us for marriage. But nothing can compare to real hands-on experience.
I’m going to start this off by telling you something I’m not very proud of.
