Rules and secrets happy couples follow
It’s not enough for two people to be well-suited for each other: Today’s relationships need to be able to withstand a diverse set of potentially toxic pressures. Work stress, money trouble, unexpected losses, transitions, and expectations from friends and family . . . for a relationship to be successful, couples need habits that help them manage the challenges that come from everyday life.
Relationship scientists are eager to identify the specific behaviours that not only help couples survive daily hassles and challenges but help them thrive despite pressures and stressors from outside of the relationship. If strained, some couples rebalance quickly; if burdened, they somehow keep their relationship safe. How?
Support
Spouses can rely on each other for unconditional support, despite their limitations due to their age, health, or temperament. Knowing that you can count on your spouse’s support now and in the future provides an atmosphere of peace and security to the relationship. It’s an essential factor for stability.
Commitment
Knowing that you’re with someone who wants to love you forever gives you security and helps you to face challenges that otherwise would be beyond your strength. This is why marriage is so important, as a relationship that transcends the present. It doesn’t matter what your financial situation or health or age may be. Spouses should want to love each other forever and commit themselves to fight to do so. That doesn’t mean that they’re going to be perfect, but it does mean they’ll try, and this brings great happiness to both.
Respect
Respect should increase as the spouses get to know each other and appreciate each other. Respect is not something subjective; it’s the result of loving each other profoundly and never wanting to offend each other. Someone who is respected feels well treated, cared for, and even coddled, and that’s important for marital happiness.
Passion
At any age, happiness as a couple requires creativity, originality, a “spark.” We have to overcome the tendency to become habituated to bad situations. We cannot let our hearts be at the mercy of our imagination. We can’t let our guard down, and we must work on our love every day. There’s a Spanish saying that goes like this: “No-fly will dare go where the water is boiling.” If your marriage is alive, full of attention to details and animated by an adequate sexual relationship, it’s much more likely that neither of the spouses will allow their heart to drift towards other people, although others may try to get their attention.
Sense of humour
Couples who manage to see life and each other with a sense of humour are happier than those who don’t. Humour is vital for reducing tension, for seeing difficult moments with more detachment, for laughing at yourself, for being humble, and for recognizing your own mistakes, so you can laugh about them together. We can only be happy if we can deal with our own imperfections and those of our spouse with wisdom, love, and humour.
Shared fun experiences
Spouses who have fun with each other are happy! So, take time to travel, play sports, or do whatever you like to have fun, together. Try cooking new recipes, learn a new hobby, share jokes by text message … Or simply sit down on the sofa on Friday nights together, and begin to watch a new series on television.
These things may seem like common sense; we probably didn’t need a scientist to tell us about them. However, sometimes we need to be reminded of even the most obvious things — and a little extra motivation won’t do us any harm, because even though we can see how important these things are, that doesn’t make them easy.