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Relationships

7 Ways to Prepare for a Not-So-Typical Holiday Season Together

By In-laws & Family, Marriage, Recreation, Relationships No Comments

The holidays are almost here. For many people, the holiday season is an exciting time full of possibilities and celebrations. But for many, holidays are a reminder of difficult times. Still others look forward to their normal traditions, only to be derailed by unexpected circumstances life throws their way. If you find yourself facing down a holiday season that looks nothing like your normal, festive routine, there are some things you and your spouse can do to make it happy and enjoyable for everyone. Let’s dive in. 1. Take stock of your usual holiday traditions. Many of us fall into…

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4 Ways to Grow Closer to Your Spouse This Fall

By Intimacy, Marriage, Recreation, Relationships 7 Comments

The seasons are changing, and we’re headed into fall. Fall is a time of profound change in the natural world as the leaves change color, then drift to the ground. It’s also a time of warmth, gratitude, and giving. There are many ways you and your spouse can use the fall season to draw closer to one another. Let’s look at a few ways you can get cozier with your husband or wife this fall. 1. Play more together. New seasons often mean new opportunities for play. When the weather changes, or when certain sports or activities cycle in, that’s…

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How Your Response to Life Change Affects Your Marriage

By Communication, Marriage, Relationships One Comment

Once you’re married, it doesn’t take much time at all to get a feel for how your and your spouse each respond to life change. How you respond to change can affect your marriage, for better or worse. And it can tell you and your spouse a lot about one another. Some couples experience drastic life changes early on in their marriages, while others might be married a little longer before they do. But every couple will face stressors, upheaval, and unexpected change at some point in their marriage–and maybe more than once. So how do your individual responses to…

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The Ultimate Conflict Resolution Roundup

By Conflict, Marriage, Relationships No Comments

Looking for resources to help you and your spouse with conflict resolution? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve created a roundup of our top posts to help you and your partner navigate conflict. Let’s dive in. Problem Solving Working through problems together is one of the most important things a couple will learn to do over the course of marriage. Here are some tips for solving problems constructively. 4 Tips For Constructively Resolving Conflict With Your Spouse Locked in a disagreement? Not sure what to do next? Here are 4 tips for helping you and your spouse resolve conflict….

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5 Ways Relationship Assessments Can Help You Strengthen Your Love

By Relationships No Comments

One of the most important things you can do for your marriage is to constantly work to cultivate deeper passion, intimacy, and connection with your partner. Relationship assessments are tools you can use to get to know one another better and strengthen your love. Wondering what assessments can do for your relationship? Take a look at some of the major benefits you and your partner will get from diving deeper into your own personalities, and your dynamic as a couple. 1. Explore how each of you engages in conflict. Each person has a different fight style, and it’s likely that…

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Can Marriage Mentors Help with Conflict Resolution?

By Marriage, Relationships 2 Comments

Are you dealing with a conflict in your marriage? Struggling to reach a workable solution–or just stuck in a stalemate? Marriage mentors can provide the support you need to help you and your spouse resolve conflict in your relationship, whether it’s a long- or short-term problem. Married couples face good and bad times throughout their marriages. It’s just a given. But sometimes, we find ourselves locked into an issue we can’t seem to shake. If you and your spouse are going through a hard time, there’s help available. One way to get support for your marriage is by connecting with…

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How to Back Your Empathy with Action

By Marriage, Relationships 3 Comments

Empathy is more than just taking an internal walk in your partner’s shoes. Instead, real empathy requires action. Without action, empathy won’t go very far in your relationship. As James D. Parker said, “Empathy alone matters little if we fail to act.” Empathy is transformative. It helps us see, hear, and understand one another like nothing else. And, when properly cultivated, it inspires action. We must back our empathy with action if we want to show our spouses how much we truly love them. So how can we back our empathy with action? Let’s dive in. 1. Set aside your…

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3 Truths About Anger Everyone Should Know

By Conflict, Relationships 10 Comments

Anger is a natural part of being human, but it can also become destructive when uncontrolled. Likewise, anger is a natural part of conflict. It’s important that we understand how to manage anger so that we can effectively manage conflicts in our marriages and other interpersonal relationships. Anger tends to be the result of a perceived injustice against us. When improperly processed and communicated, anger can damage relationships–sometimes irreversibly. Uncontrolled anger can muddy the waters of a good fight and prevent us from getting to the core of the issue at hand. Let’s look at a few truths about anger…

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How Facts vs. Feelings Influence Your Spouse

By Communication, Marriage, Relationships One Comment

In marriage, spouses influence one another significantly–both consciously and unconsciously. Knowing whether your spouse is more influenced by facts or by feelings can add a great deal of productivity to your conversations. We’re all influenced primarily by either facts or feelings. When spouses’ primary points of influence clash, this can lead to difficulties in communication. But when we know the driving force behind one another’s primary influences, we can better anticipate how to communicate successfully. So how do you determine whether your spouse is influenced by feelings or facts? How to Know if Your Spouse is Influenced by Facts People…

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What Smart Love Looks Like, and Why It’s Important

By Relationships One Comment

In order to forge healthy relationships, it’s crucial to practice something we like to call smart love. Smart love allows us to make intelligent and informed decisions in all our relationships–ultimately strengthening and improving them. Today, we’re taking a look at what smart looks like, and a few ways you can practice it in your own relationships. It applies to relationships of all kinds, but for today’s purposes, we’ll focus on dating and engagement. Smart Love is Patient and Discerning Patience and discernment are incredibly important components of smart love. That’s because smart love is determined to find a good…

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