Keeping the Love Alive With My Valentine

Valentine’s Day has come and gone but let the theme of love continue on.

Love & Marriage

No one said it would be easy!  And…well sometimes it’s not easy and other times it may seem like a walk in the park.

But we did say ‘for better or for worse’ and meant it.

Over the years I’ve learned some key things that have helped me and my Valentine keep the love alive…come to think of it, they are helpful for any relationship.

#1 – Never stop dating/communicating:  spending quality time together doing things you love and staying connected and engaged in one another’s lives is a great investment.

#2- Figuring out personality Styles: it was implemented as a tool at work but we find it has been useful at home too…even figuring out Love Languages is helpful.  Bill feels loved when he comes home to a clean house and a happy, healthy wife & kids…say hello to June Cleaver/Barbara Billingsly…that’s me☺.  To keep me happy, Bill just needs to give me some words of affirmation and encouragement and I am putty in his hands.  Bill and I have very different personalities but have figured out that we are a great compliment to each other, we know we are different but we respect and appreciate those differences.

#3- Don’t have unrealistic expectations or expect spouse to be a mind-reader:  Bill knows I’m not a brilliant mathematician so he doesn’t expect me to do our taxes and develop budgeting spreadsheets…phew!  On the flip side, when I met Bill I knew he wasn’t a hopeless romantic and I liked that…so now if he doesn’t buy me flowers, chocolates, jewels AND write me a beautiful poem on Valentine’s Day I shouldn’t pout. However if I really wanted all that stuff, I should let him know and not just expect him to know…if he asks me what I want I shouldn’t say ‘You don’t need to get me anything’ and then be all grumpy on Valentines’ Day when he actually just listened to what I said and didn’t get me anything. (This was just an example… he did get me something for Valentine’s Day☺).

Of course there are other helpful hints but I’ll stop at 3…I don’t want to bare all our secrets.

We may not have the perfect marriage, but who does?  What’s your secret to a happy marriage?

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