When choosing to spend the rest of your life with someone, there’s a profound expectation that they will bring happiness and bliss to your life .
However, most married couples will agree that marriage is an interesting journey when expectations meet reality.
While each relationship is unique, happiness doesn’t just happen.
Blissfully married couples intentionally create habits to cultivate harmony in their relationships.
In this post we highlight 22 habits that are the foundation of a happy marriage.
Whether you are a silver married couple, newlyweds or simply just curious as you prepare for a future union, these insights are the ultimate guide to a loving and blissful union.
1. They value communication
When you started dating you looked forward to conversing with your partner, their opinions were of so much value and hence an emotional connection was created.
Happily married couples have open and honest conversations.
They listen and respect each other’s opinions.
Create time to just sit and talk, have conversation starter questions if you need to.
2. They invoke daily affirmations
Blissfully married couples do not take each other for granted.
They appreciate each other even when it means overlooking their shortcomings.
We all want to hear love expressions even when it is just “i love you”, so say it to your partner as many times as you’d like to hear it.
Pump up your spouse, you are their biggest support system.
3. They create quality time
They prioritise spending time together.
Do not let the busyness of life rob you of marital bliss.
Create time to go on dates, share a common interest or to just sit and have a mundane conversation as long as you do it together.
4. They maintain physical affection
They maintain a strong physical connection, a touch,a hug, a kiss keeps your partner craving for more.
Lack of physical contact begets loneliness and in turn a rift in the relationship.
Nonetheless, embrace self care, to ensure physical affection is appealing.
5. They engage in shared interests
They find a common interest or a shared hobby.
This creates a connection between married couples.
However if there are no shared interests, engage in each other’s hobbies to better understand your spouse.
6. They maintain laughter and playfulness
They create humour in daily life, happily married couples share moments of joy and playfulness.
Life is hard enough, be the partner that brings the good vibes.
Embrace couples inside jokes, teasing, light-hearted bantering and don’t be quick to take offence.
7. They are mindful of acts of kindness
Blissfully married couples surprise each other with random acts of kindness and thoughtfulness.
I saw a random woman on social media, going on about all the random things her husband does “he fuels my car,He got my favourite snack” and the glow and joy was evident.
To the woman, that man was worth all her affection.
Make each other happy and a happy environment will be created. It doesn’t have to be expensive after all,It’s the thought that counts.
8.They respect each other
“You can love without respect, but you can’t have a healthy relationship without it.”
Blissful couples treat each other with respect, empathy, and understanding.
Sometimes familiarity erodes respect and you find yourself being rude to your spouse but in relationships give what you are willing to receive.
9. They support each other
Blissfully married couples have each other’s backs.
In marriage you need a partner to approach life’s challenges and responsibilities with.
The longevity of this union is based on supporting each other through thick and thin.
10. They create room for personal space
They appreciate each other’s individuality.
Your spouse has their own goals and desires that shouldn’t be confined to match yours.
There’s therefore a need to create room for each of you to have a life, friends, goals outside of each other lest the union becomes a chokehold.
11. They resolve conflict amicably
Blissfully married couples address disagreements with open-mindedness,patience and with a willingness to find common ground.
A happy union is not without its fair share of disagreements, but how do you handle them?
Always be willing to listen to your partner’s point of view and compromise when need be.
In relationships winning wars is not an achievement creating an understanding is
12. They forgive each other constantly
They make an effort to peacefully address their issues and overlook minute mistakes.
In marriage you will not always be pleased with your partner’s words and actions especially when you live together.
The most you can do is create room to seek forgiveness when you are wrong and to forgive and not use it against each other.
13. They prioritise shared dreams
Happy couples plan for a common future and create a strategic plan to get what they want together.
“Two heads are better than one” it’s easier to achieve when you do it together.
14. They have cultivated trust
They have won each other’s trust.
Afterall, It is tasking when you have to follow up on your partners every move due to mistrust. It takes away valuable time and effort.
That is why it is important to be with someone you fully trust.
15. They address intimacy
There are different faces to intimacy and a married couple should be deeply connected.
They should be able to maintain a satisfying emotional, spiritual,physical and mental connection with each other and keep the passion alive.
16. They balance in parenting together
Children are a joy to any couple, nonetheless, sometimes we become more parents than partners.
To maintain a joyous relationship a couple should make each other a priority.
There is time to be a parent and other times just be a spouse
17. They maintain financial transparency
Blissfully married couples manage finances collaboratively, making financial decisions together and maintaining transparency.
Money is a big aspect of any relationship.
Maintain financial harmony by building and growing together and when one of you is low on finances pick each other up without judgement.
18. They acknowledge shared responsibility
They share household chores and responsibilities, promoting equality in their partnership.
As a society we have put too much value on gender roles that resentment builds up when one partner can’t meet their obligations.
However, marriage is about holding your partner down and picking the slack where you can.
19. They go on adventures together
Routine can make a relationship stale.
Blissfully married couples seek new experiences and adventures as a couple, creating lasting memories.
You only live once and it’s short, you might as well live fully and together.
20. They create room to grow mutually
Blissfully married couples push each other to personal and professional growth, celebrating achievements together.
One person’s win is a win for the whole team.
Your partner’s win should be a motivation to push for more and avoid making growth and achievements the basis of power play.
21. They cultivate supportive friendships
They maintain supportive friendships outside of their marriage and respect each other’s social connections.
A good support system will build you up. They are around other happily married couples since they can build each other.
Your close allies will most definitely influence your choices, so be wary who you talk and listen to.
22. They maintain unconditional love
Blissfully married couples love each other unconditionally, accepting each other’s flaws and imperfections.
A marriage only works when you are in it for the long run through the ups and downs of life, let the love you have for each other ground you.