Top 10 Tips on How to Have a Happy and Successful Marriage

Spend time with each other.

Go for a walk hand-in-hand in the park, or even just around the block. Watch a movie together. Pick a new recipe that you can explore and cook together. Play a sport together. Listen to your favorite music. Tell jokes. Play a card game. Pack along your favorite food and go for a picnic. Drive somewhere special. Have fun. Cherish each moment together.

When you make an effort to spend time together, the marriage remains strong and healthy.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

There are always little things that get in the way and cause annoyance, irritation or anger.

Each person is different and one of the challenges of marriage is accepting and understanding each other’s differences. Try to come to a common understanding to avoid arguments. Be flexible and more open-minded. Don’t hold grudges in your heart for the small misunderstandings as this will impact your marriage in the long run.

Small gestures go a long way.

There are many small easy things you can do to really lighten up your spouse’s day and make him/her happy. Some examples are: write a little note for your spouse and leave it on the bathroom counter so he/she can see it first thing in the morning. Write things like “Good morning honey, take care. I love you”, or “Drive safely to work, see you later. I love you”. Give your spouse a random hug or kiss when he/she least expects it. At the end of the day when you see each other, greet warmly and ask how his/her day went. Help pack your spouse’s lunch and include a little note. Set up the table nicely so you can enjoy your meals together more. Or give little surprises such as a nice magazine of your spouse’s favorite topic or hobby. Most women love flowers. Surprise her with a bunch of flowers, or even a single stem of rose. These little gestures of love and affection work wonders in making the marriage really happy.

Don’t forget the blissful beginnings.

During the courtship, dating days and honeymoon stage, everything is blissful & life is full of roses. As time goes by and we encounter the daily challenges in life, the enthusiasm and excitement may subside. The love is there, but you may just be too tired to exert more effort in making the relationship as sweet and refreshed as it was in the beginning. There are many ways to maintain the marriage sweet and fresh. Enjoy looking at your photo albums together and for sure you will find memories to smile and laugh about together. Treasure the memories you created. Maintain the closeness by connecting throughout the day if possible, even for just a few minutes of phone call. Show affection such as a random hug. Say things that will touch your spouse’s heart, like “I’m really blessed to have you as my wife/husband, or “I can not imagine my life without you”, or “You are really my soul-mate and I’m glad to have you in my life”. These words will forever be remembered…