Marriages never are perfect. They are not perfect because people are not perfect. You cannot expect your own marriage to run smoothly for years; that is not a reasonable expectation. It is something to hope for, even shoot for, but ultimately, people change and your marriage needs to change along with the changes in yourself and your spouse if you hope to survive together. So, what can help make your marriage a happy, healthy one? The following can.

Marriage Counseling Services

Recognizing that there are some sticky spots in your marriage is not a bad thing. In fact, it is a very good thing. The two of you recognize that there are issues, and you both accept that there are issues. Whether or not both of you are on the same page and want to fix things is another matter. If you do, marriage counseling is an excellent idea. Having a third party hear both of you out and helping the two of you come together to work it out is beneficial to both of you, whether you stay together for life, or divorce later on. For more information, contact a business such as The Center for Family Counseling, Inc.

Spend a Half Hour Each Day Talking to Each Other and Actively Listening

Remember when you first met and you wanted to spend hours just talking to each other? What was happening there? You wanted to know everything about each other, and you actively listened to the other. You both felt like the other was validating what you said, and understanding how you felt. After you marry, you tend to stop doing that because other things get in the way. Committing to thirty minutes of real communication before you go to bed each night can restore some health and vitality to your marriage.

Spend Time Apart and Together

What made your premarital relationship a good one is that you gave each other space when you needed it and you spent quality time together when you wanted it. It is much more difficult when you are married because you live in the same house and split the responsibilities in ways that prevent you from being apart or spending quality time together.

You have to spend time apart for a few days, then spend some time together away from home. The best relationships are at their healthiest when you imagine a rubber band between the two of you and between you and your home. Go out, stretch that proverbial rubber band as far as you can without breaking it, and then bounce back.