Your relationship with your spouse may be everything you always dreamed it would be, however, you can always learn new ways to improve your marriage. Whether it’s spending more time together as a family or spicing things up in the bedroom, there are ways to improve your marriage no matter how great it is.
If you’re both avid readers in your own time but have never actually read a book together, this would be a great way to improve your marriage. Find a book that will make your connection stronger and bring you closer together. On the other hand, it’s always a good idea to stay away from topics that you disagree on if you both have strong opinions on the subject. My husband and I loved reading “Eat, Pray, Love” together and followed up with Elizabeth Gilbert’s second book in the series, “Committed: A Love Story.” There were many different topics to discuss that kept our conversations going night after night. Read a book together and instantly improve your already amazing marriage!
Your family is growing and the kids are starting to do their own thing without you. It’s a stage every family goes through, and there is nothing wrong with giving your kids more freedom to sleep over at their friend’s house or go to the mall without you. However, you are starting to miss the days when everyone was home together to have dinner or play board games. Improving your marriage starts at home and it starts as a family. So, no matter how busy things get, remember to schedule in a family fun night at least twice a month if not more.
Don’t just discuss how your work day was, how bad traffic sucked, or what the kids did; talk more about who you are together, reminisce about when you first met, and talk more about what inspires you. Sometimes we get into a routine of everyday humdrum and forget about the things that excite us, move us, or even make us sad or angry. Are you worried about what is going on in Syria, but don’t want to frighten the kids? Do the actions of Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke at the MTV VMAs make you worry about the future of our society? Well, before you go to bed each night, talk about the things that you’ve been wanting to share all day. Make it a point to talk more and bring up the things you get to talk to your co-workers about, but never get the chance to speak to your spouse about.
Being together 24/7 isn’t healthy for any relationship, so don’t lose who you were before you got married. If you loved going for a run by yourself in the morning, making crafts on the weekend, or doing something your spouse just has no interest in, don’t be afraid to continue to enjoy it on your own. Having a hobby and having a life outside your marriage is good for the both of you. You can only take care of others if you are taken care of as well.
Has your Summer been consumed by kids watching too much TV, playing too many video games, and using unlimited texting like there is no tomorrow? Our society has become so obsessed with making bigger and better electronics that we tend to forget how to just be outside and enjoy life. Recently I learned how to fish for the first time and now I really love going out on the water with my husband, just the two of us, relaxing and spending time on the boat enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of nature. When you turn off your electronics, you learn to turn off the world and enjoy what you already have.
Is he the one who always initiates things in the bedroom? Spice things up and give him the surprise of this life when he comes home from a hard day at work. If you have little ones running around, be sure to get a babysitter well in advance and drop them off so you can get ready for your “date night.” Go shopping for something sexy and sassy to wear, and leave him little love notes that lead into the bedroom, which is where you’ll be waiting!
Don’t let your amazing marriage get dull or boring and fall into a routine of getting the kids off to school, going to work, coming home, cooking dinner, and going to bed. Do something random and call in a sick day to surprise the kids or your spouse with a little road trip. If you really can’t afford a sick day or a road trip, wait until the weekend and take a bike ride or walk together to a place in your neighborhood that’s new and unexplored.
How have you improved your marriage? How do you keep things interesting?