You hear the word unhealthy and healthy marriages, but what are the key components that create a healthy marriage? In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned as I have navigated through an unhealthy marriage and divorce but most importantly, what I have learned through my healthy marriage.
Do You Judge Your Marriage Based On Other Marriages?
You don’t know what is going on behind the closed doors of your friend’s marriages. With social media, it is easy to look at people posting happy times or fake happy posts and it may be hard not to compare to your own marriage. Like I said in 7 Simple Clues You May Have an Unhealthy Marriage, everything that glitters is not always gold.
Rather than look at what others have or believe they have, be concerned with knowing what a healthy marriage looks like so that you can work on things in your own marriage.
Key Commonents To Make Your Marriage Healthy
COMMUNICATION
- Both partners feel free to speak openly about their feelings and concerns and have constructive conversations when they disagree.
DECISION MAKING
- Partners make decisions together and respect each other’s views.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
- You turn to each other for emotional support or during times of troubleHealthy: You turn to each other for emotional support or during times of trouble.
ABUSE
- NEVER (mental, physical, emotional). If you need support, the National Domestic Voilence Hotline is available 24/7 and is both free and confidential.
RESPECT
- Respects their partner and sees value in them, even when you disagree with their opinion.
TRUST
- Gains trust through words and actions
BOUNDARIES
- Set healthy boundaries and respect each other’s boundaries
A Healthy Marriage Takes Work
You have to work hard at a healthy marriage daily, but if you love and respect your partner, it should never feel like hard work. As you read through the list of healthy traits, did you recognize some areas of your marriage that need some attention? Marriage is not always perfect, but you have to recognize what needs work. If your marriage has several unhealthy traits it does not mean your marriage is over. It simply means you need to prioritize and work on building healthy habits that will contribute to creating a long-lasting, happy and healthy marriage.
I’ve created a free quiz to help you evaluate your marriage. You may find your marriage is unhealthy and in trouble. Or perhaps your marriage just needs a tune. Healthy marriages are consistently re-evaluating and making adjustments!
