Nov 08
Love16

How to Handle In-Law Conflict During the Holidays (Part 2)

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family 5 Comments

Dealing with in-law conflict is hard any time of year…but it’s so much harder during the holidays. Today, we’re continuing the conversation about how to handle issues with your spouse’s parents (or yours) this holiday season. Check out part 1 here. If your spouse rejects your family Maybe, for whatever reason, your spouse dislikes your family. And when they join you at gatherings on your side of the family, they act snarky, sarcastic, rude, or completely uninterested in being there. When you’re trying to manage your spouse’s behavior, that can take all the enjoyment out of your family’s holiday celebrations….

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Nov 01
Love19

How to Handle In-Law Conflict During the Holidays

By Communication, Conflict, In-laws & Family 3 Comments

If you’re engaged or newly married, you might be wondering why holiday in-law conflict is such a big deal…and you might even be thinking of ways to try to avoid is completely. Unfortunately, no matter who your parents are, how much they love you, or how much they support you as a couple, your families are different. Those differences are going to create some inevitable conflict once you’re married…especially when it comes to holiday gatherings. Every family functions by its own unspoken rules; we like to say each family has its own “code,” whether they realize it or not. They…

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Oct 25
Love35

5 Ways to Be a Good Listener for Your Spouse

By Communication 63 Comments

Opening your heart to your spouse—and nurturing theirs—requires listening well. With so many different issues, obligations, devices, and people pulling at us from every direction, it can be difficult to slow down and truly listen to one another. Listening can be pleasant, but sometimes it’s downright hard. Sometimes, you might want to tune out and lose yourself in your favorite pastime instead—or dive into the list of to-do items you still need to cross off before the day is over. But to have a healthy, thriving marriage, it’s critical to truly listen to your spouse with empathy and generosity. Today,…

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Oct 18
Love28

Self-Esteem Boosters: 4 Ways to Affirm Your Spouse

By Communication 14 Comments

Building one another’s self-esteem is an essential component of a happy marriage, but it can be easy to fall into a rut where we stop affirming one another in meaningful ways. We might find that we’ve been taking our spouse for granted—or maybe we’ve just been thinking nice things about them that we haven’t been verbalizing. The truth is, we live and die by encouragement. Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment,” and we’d venture to say that’s a true statement for all of us. It’s easy to have admiring thoughts about your…

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Oct 11
Love16

My Spouse Is Refusing Professional Help! What Can I Do?

By Communication 25 Comments

We all go through times in our lives and our marriages when we’d benefit greatly from getting professional help. Whether we’re having trouble dealing with a life change or transition, experience depression, or facing addiction, there are hundreds of scenarios that could warrant going into counseling with your spouse. But what happens if you recognize the need to get help…but your spouse doesn’t? Is there anything you can do? You can’t force someone to seek therapy, but you can encourage it—and you can make changes to yourself that result in positive changes for your spouse. Read on for four common…

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Oct 04
Love20

Money 101: 3 Can’t-Miss Financial Tips for Married Couples

By Communication 8 Comments

Money is one of the toughest subjects to tackle in marriage. It’s one of the top reasons married couples fight, and it’s a source of constant stress and strain for many couples around the world. But the good news is, you and your spouse can create a healthy attitude around money in your marriage if you know where to start. It’s important to establish healthy financial practices as early in marriage as possible. Today, we’re sharing three financial habits you can establish to start out on the right foot. Be Respectful of Each Other’s Money Style Are you a saver,…

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Sep 27
Love19

4 Ways to Support Your Spouse’s Creativity

By Communication, Time 9 Comments

Creative pursuits add an exciting dimension to our lives. Music, theatre, art, writing, dance–these are just a few of the creative outlets you or your spouse might enjoy. But if you’re not particularly creative, what are some ways to support your spouse’s passions? 1. Show interest in their creative pursuits. Your spouse’s passion for creativity adds meaning, joy, and purpose to their life–and it can do the same for you. Whether your spouse is painting, sculpting, dancing, writing, singing, playing music, or any number of other creative pursuits, it’s important to show interest in what they’re creating. Is your spouse…

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Sep 20
Love22

10 Romantic Fall Dates to Enjoy with Your Spouse

By Time 11 Comments

Fall is a beautiful and exciting time of year, with changing leaves, football season in full swing, and holidays right around the corner. Take advantage of the cooler weather and the wide variety of seasonal activities to go on some creative and romantic dates with your spouse. There are plenty of ways to fully enjoy the autumn, so we’ve created a list of 10 ideas to get you started. Have fun! 1. Go on a coffee date There’s never a wrong time to get coffee, but there’s something about fall that makes a hot drink seem more appealing. Cooler temperatures…

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Sep 13
Love22

Sexual Frequency in Marriage: 3 Common Questions

By Communication, Time 30 Comments

At some point in every couple’s marriage—often in the early years—the question of sexual frequency comes up. They might find themselves wondering how often they “should” be having sex, how to agree on frequency, or whether they’re normal. Today, we’re tackling three common questions about sexual frequency, and what you and your spouse can do to ensure the highest level of satisfaction and fulfillment for your marriage. My spouse and I have very different sexual needs. How do we get on the same page? Finding a healthy compromise between two different sex drives is a delicate, difficult subject for many…

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Sep 06
Love16

Finances: How to Get on the Same Page With Your Spouse

By Communication No Comments

Money is a loaded issue in most marriages because it represents the ability to get the things we need and want. It tends to become an issue of power, dictating who makes the decisions and whose dreams get fulfilled. Needless to say, discussions about money, bills, and budgeting can generate some powerful emotions. It’s not always easy to navigate money matters, especially in the early years of your marriage. In today’s post, we’re going to explore some ways you and your spouse can get on the same page about your finances–and stay there. Which one of us should handle the…

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