It’s no surprise, the rate of divorce in our country has been steadily increasing over the past couple of years. With all the stressors that life has to offer, is it really that shocking? For the healthy couples that do stay together through the ups and downs of marriage, it comes as no surprise that they all tend to have one thing in common: strong communication skills. To ensure that your relationship can make it through the ups and downs that life throws at us, you need to be able to have an open channel of communication. Here are several conversations that every couple should have to strengthen their marriage.
1. Faith
For many people, having a spiritual connection with God is something that is personal and embedded in their lives in one way or another. Like many people, our faith can go up and down, and you may find yourself at times struggling to strengthen your relationship with God. Being able to discuss your faith with your significant other is one way to strengthen your relationship with God. Even better, you may find that your relationship with your significant other will strengthen as well. Faith plays such an intimate role in many people’s lives. When you can talk openly and honestly about it with your significant other, it’s no surprise that you’ll feel a closer bond to them.
2. Future Goals
The great thing about marriage is having a partner in crime for the rest of your life. A major component to being a happy couple and staying that way is by having future goals that you can both work towards. Unlike a personal goal, you and your spouse should talk about the things that you both want to accomplish in life. Be sure to have a conversation about short-term goals like planning a trip or saving up an emergency fund. Along with this, don’t forget to discuss long-term goals like paying off a house or planning for retirement. When you and your spouse have conversations about your couple goals, you not only are on the same page but sharing a goal is a great way to strengthen your relationship because it’s something that the two of you are working on together
3. Personal Goals
Alongside your couple goals, you and your spouse should also discuss your personal goals. A personal goal is something that is entirely about you. Thinking about finishing college or getting a new job? Discussing your personal goals is something every healthy couple should do to strengthen their marriage because it enables you and your spouse to talk about the things that are important to you personally. Along with this, discussing your personal goal allows your partner to understand what you want in life. This gives them a clearer understanding of how they can support you with your personal goal.
4. Talk About Your Feelings
Healthy couples are not shy about talking about their feelings – no matter how cheesy it is. To have a healthy relationship that stays strong and successful, you should express your emotions to your spouse. Now, granted, talking about your emotions can be taxing, so you don’t have to do this every night. But you should be sure to check in with one another at least a couple of times a month or so. A major key to having a successful marriage that healthy couples practice is not letting things simmer. If something is bothering you or is on your mind, be sure not to hold it in. This can lead to more stress in your relationship. To avoid this, be sure to let your spouse know when something is bothering you or is on your mind.
5. Celebrate Your Successes
A conversation that healthy couples tend to have that lead to successful marriages is talking about and celebrating individual success. When you achieve something or meet your personal goal, having your significant other acknowledge it can be incredibly rewarding. Not only that, it gives your spouse the opportunity to praise you. Praising each other and showing your support for your spouse’s achievements is one of the best ways to bring the two of you closer together and keep you that way. Additionally, if you and your spouse achieve something together as a couple, be sure to celebrate that too. To give a more personalized touch to things, you and your spouse can make a tradition of celebrating each other’s successes. This can be something as simple as buying a specific treat like a special cake or going to a specific restaurant. Celebrating and acknowledging each others successes is a skill that every healthy couple practices.
6. Your Struggles
Every healthy relationship and successful marriage has its ups and downs. If you don’t experience the downs in a relationship, then you can’t appreciate the ups. When you do experience the downs in your relationship, it’s best to talk about them out loud with your spouse. Healthy couples that build strong relationships make it a habit of discussing the difficulties that they are going through, whether it be a rough patch that you are going through together or a rough patch in your personal life. When you talk about the struggles you are going through, you allow your spouse to get that much closer to you emotionally. When you’re able to build on that emotional connection, your marriage is sure to stay strong and successful.
7. Money
Unfortunately, studies continue to show that money is the leading cause of divorce between couples. Whether you have plenty of it or not enough, you can ensure that your marriage stays strong by having conversations about money. It’s important that you discuss budgeting and financial planning to ensure your marriage stays rock solid. If you have already talked about budgeting, that’s great. But conversations about your finances should not be a one and done thing. You and your spouse should revisit your budgeting strategies and spending habits throughout the year. Checking in at the end of each month is a great way to see how your financial status is looking. This gives you and your partner a plan for any big purchases you are thinking about or any savings plans you want to put away. Keeping your marriage strong by talking about your finances is a surefire way to strengthen your relationship. Not only that but when you talk about money openly, you are sure to avoid some of the financial burdens that can pave the way to divorce.
8. It’s Ok To Be Petty
As silly as it might seem, sometimes the petty things in our relationship can be the biggest roadblocks. If your spouse has a habit that you find incredibly annoying or bothersome, then you need to talk about it. You should never change yourself if you are in a relationship, but be prepared to adjust certain habits you may have. When you and your spouse can discuss certain habits that the other finds annoying, then you can practice the necessary skill in any marriage; compromising. When you compromise, you can show your partner that not only are you able to put yourself in their shoes but that you care about their emotions. Every successful marriage is a product of compromising. And every healthy couple can attest to the fact that to have a successful marriage; you need to practice the art of compromise.
Final Thoughts
Whether your stressors in life are because of finances, emotions, or family, you don’t have to transfer the negativity to your relationship. When you can be open and honest with your spouse, you open up the channels of communication. When this happens, you do not only have an outlet to unburden yourself and talk about your issues, but you also get to confide in someone who plays a particular role in your life. Letting honest discussion take place in your marriage allows you and your spouse to get a glimpse into each other’s lives. By doing this, you not only are practicing skills that healthy couples make a priority in their relationship. But you also begin to lay down the foundation of a successful marriage for years to come. Good luck and happy communicating!
Related Article: 8 Common Marital Problems All Couples Face( And How To Resolve Them)
