NUMBER 1 KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE
“The key to a successful marriage is a growing marriage.”
That’s the #1 tip my mentor Dr. Gary Chapman gave when I interviewed him. I think it’s beautifully simple and also challenging.
If you don’t know Dr. Chapman, he is the best-selling author on the topic of marriage in the world, and he wrote our favorite marriage book – The Five Love Languages.
Let’s unpack this tip a bit deeper…
You’ll have your own definition of a “successful marriage” but that’s obviously enjoying the relationship that you both desire.
But what’s a “growing marriage” and how do you get one?
Well, it’s important to recognize that relationships don’t stay static. Even though it can feel like you’re in neutral, your marriage is always dying or growing.
And only YOU can make the decision to grow your marriage. You can’t decide for your spouse either…you can ONLY control you.
Once you decide you want the growing marriage that Dr. Chapman says is the most important thing you can do for your relationship, you have options on how to make it happen:
– Learn more about being a good spouse
– Invest in improving your marriage skills so you are better at communication, money and, yes, sex and intimacy
– Express your desire to have an awesome marriage clearly to your spouse
– Get help when you need it rather than being stubborn
– Plug into a community of other Marriage Builders
– Schedule marriage building time into your life
If you CHOOSE to have a growing marriage and then take ACTION to make it happen, I promise you that your entire life will improve.
After all, like Dr. Chapman says..
“Love is a choice you make every day.”
With love,
Dustin & Bethany
