Spring is in the air. Flowers have started blooming, people are wearing shorts, and that spring feeling is irresistible. But how about in our relationships? Regardless of the month of the year or the temperature outside, an opportunity to spring clean your marriage should never be overlooked.

6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Marriage

In this article:

1. Learn to appreciate the transition
2. You can only change yourself
3. Ways to spring clean your marriage

Learn to appreciate the transition

As much as spring is about flowers and warmer weather, it is also about the transition from the old and moving to the new.

• We move from big down feathered coats to short sleeves and light jackets.
• Winter’s blues get ditched and we break out the new and colorful attitude of spring.
• We “spring clean” our homes of everything that reminds us of winter and get ready for the light carefree months to come.

To put away the dullness that winter can bring and break out a light new attitude and perspective. I have learned, in my own marriage, that some things might not change.

We can complain and fuss and pout, but some things won’t change. Don’t worry, your spouse is reading this and saying the same thing.

You can only change yourself

The reality is that we can not change our spouse. If we can change anything or anyone, we can change ourselves. We buy books, go to seminars and talk to other people for solutions to fix our spouse and our marriage. However, the reality is that some problems are not meant to change.

Some problems exist and are meant to help us grow and shift our perspective. If challenges did not exist, we would not find ourselves in prayer, or in search of deeper communication and solutions within our marriage.

Ways to spring clean your marriage

It is a perspective that may take years to arrive at, but when attained will provide a lifetime of peace. So begin some spring cleaning in your marriage relationship.

• Sweep out the dust and cobwebs of your mind. Forgive what was done to you during the winter, it is springtime.
• Vacuum your heart. Speak your peace and start anew.
• Wash the residue of winter’s salt and snow off the window’s of your soul. Pray for a new attitude.
• Pull up the weeds. Long cold winter season kills off everything fruitful. Confess how you feel about what exists in your relationship and then work toward banishing it from your relationship. Truthful, honest communication kills weeds and makes the ground fertile for new growth.
• Plant seed of hope. At times it seems like going on ain’t going to happen. But this spring, plant hope. Take on some new challenges, set some goals that give your relationship something to look forward to.
• Water. Nurture every new season of growth. Designate time, specific time, that you will spend watering your garden.

Enjoy the season you are in. Just as winter comes to an end, spring gives way to the heat of summer. So as you realize that some things won’t change, enjoy what good there is in the relationship. Your spouse is not perfect. They have a longer list of faults than we would like but enjoy the good things that made you first fall in love with them.

Whether they change or not is really not within your control. But, this spring let your attitude be light and your perspective be new and free. Life is shorter than short, so choose to enjoy every moment of it. Happy spring!

BMWK: How else can you spring clean your marriage?

Up Next: 9 Must-Have Ingredients to a Happy Marriage

Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on February 28, 2012, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.