4 Tips For A Great Married Life
Getting married is one of the most exciting times of your life! It is a whirlwind of wedding planning, prepping, and spending time with those you love most. It is important to remember though that after the honeymoon ends, you now have a bond that is stronger than the day before the wedding, for many reasons. Naturally, you and your partner want to have a great life together; below are some tips to help solidify how to have a great married life well into the future
Communicate
One of the most important aspects of marriage is communication. This makes sense because every other facet of your married life such as money, children, and even household chores need to be communicated to one another for full understanding. There are six levels of communication, including:
- Basic communication: information related to simple facts
- Partnership: conversations about joint responsibilities, like parenting or finances
- Conflict Resolution: working through disagreements fairly
- Connection: couples connect through eye contact, verbal, and body language
- Personal Revelation: putting yourself in the position of vulnerability and sharing your deeper emotions
- Intimate Communication: expressions of love, words of affection, and statements of closeness
While you and your partner may be excellent at a few of these, ideally, you should strive for proficiency in all six levels in order to have a healthier and more communicative dynamic.
Be Protected
You had the wedding of your dreams and are adjusting to the next chapter of your lives as a married couple. While probably not at the forefront and certainly not the happiest of thoughts, it is important that you consider what your future would be like if something happened to you or your partner. Designating a life insurance policy is one way to protect not only your partner but any other dependents you may have in the event of your passing. A life insurance policy would pay a sum of money (called a death benefit) to your designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, and this money can be used to help pay for funeral expenses, your mortgage, and even household bills. Deciding on this now will help ensure your family’s protection later in life.
Budget
It’s one thing to have an independent budget when you’re single and even dating or engaged. Now that you are married, it is time to look at your budget as a collaborative effort, taking into account not only your income and spending but also your partner’s. Most likely, you may want to save money to buy a house, start a family or take a vacation, so reevaluating your spending as a couple is crucial. One way to cut out unnecessary costs is to dine in at home more often. Especially now with so many takeout apps, it can be easy to overspend by ordering food directly to your house multiple times a week. Try to plan out your meals for the week, focusing on cooking at home when possible. As an added bonus, cooking with your partner can be fun and can lead to more communication!
Have Fun
It can be all too easy to get swept up in the day-to-day routines of your lives once you’re married. Between work schedules, household duties, taking care of pets, and even potentially having children someday, it can be difficult to remember that your partner is also your best friend. Instead of sticking to usual routines, try to have fun with your spouse daily! There are different fun things to do as a couple, including playing games, watching a movie, and dancing together. You can even leave notes around the house for each other to find and turn that into a game like tic-tac-toe. Although life can get in the way sometimes, remembering why you chose your partner in the first place can remind you that life is too short to miss the fun opportunities.
Marriage is a beautiful commitment, and it is essential to remember that it is not just about the big day but spending a lifetime together. Every marriage is different and requires different maintenance and efforts but starting off with these steps will ensure that you both are able to enjoy this relationship together to its fullest.