Marriage is generally thought of as a way to accomplish some of our hopes and dreams and share those with someone we love. Marriage is about raising families, growing together and displaying the partnership to the world as we strive to be better together every day. Those are great components of marriage, but there are many benefits of marriage we have not considered and you … [Read more...]
The Best Relationship Advice You’ll Ever Get Will Not Come from Your Counselor
I recently met with some counselors, LMFTs (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists) and other professionals in the area of love, marriage and family relationships. We discussed something that is key to our success with clients—how the client is the expert of their life. As experts of their own lives, they already know what they need to do, the desired result of that action … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Get Your Relationship in the Best Shape Ever!
Relationships, whether we are single or married, do not run on auto pilot. It takes work and intention to make our relationships fulfilling and long lasting. No one wants to be in a relationship that tends to run on routine and exists because two people are used to each other. Couples should look for things that will help them growing together in their relationship but also … [Read more...]
The Importance of QT with Your Teenage Daughter
Recently, I had the opportunity to go shoe shopping with my 13-year-old daughter. She has an important event coming up that she has been looking forward to and she needed some shoes to wear with her dress to the event. She had already found a pair of shoes and had her heart set on them. But when we arrived at the store, we found out they didn't have the shoes and other … [Read more...]
Stop Ignoring Her Requests; Why Working on “Her Time” is Important
When we get married, one of the biggest things we have to deal with is the transition from single life to married life. What used to be mine is now ours. The way I like something matters less than what works best for the good of our union. Marriage is more than the sum of its parts, marriage is the all-encompassing work of husband and wife to grow together and have a successful … [Read more...]
How the Power of Positive Thinking Can Help You Find Your Spouse
When we are looking to build a good relationship, we try to do our best not to have a repeat of our last bad relationship. If someone cheated, we want someone who won't cheat. If someone lied to us often, we want someone who doesn't lie. If the ex was lazy, we want someone with drive. If there was a lack of communication, we want someone expressive. The challenge with … [Read more...]
Don’t Talk About It, Be About It: Are You a Couple Who Lack Accountability to Each Other?
One of the greatest things about being single is that you are accountable to no one (in terms of romantic relationships). The problem arises when married people sometimes still believe they are accountable to no one. My last few coaching clients have complained of the same thing: Their spouse's lack of accountability. Once you are married, you are accountable to someone … [Read more...]
The 3 Elements that Make a Very Powerful Marriage
I have talked to many people who either came from bad situations or never had the opportunity to trust in their relationships. We see an example of how to trust in Christianity; the foundation of the relationship with Christ is to trust in Him and believe in Him even when we can't see with certainty what we desire in the present moment. The same is true of relationships with … [Read more...]
3 Big Reasons Why You Have and Will Always Have Relationship Drama
It’s one of the most challenging things to deal with in relationship coaching. When you have clients who continue to have the exact same issues over and over again in their relationships. Often, I find these issues continuously reoccur because of deeper issues in the couple’s or individual’s personal development. And through the years, a few things have stood out to … [Read more...]
3 Keys to Talking to Your Spouse that Won’t End in a Fight
One of our biggest challenges in marriage is lack of communication. I would take it a step farther to say that it’s not always lack of communication, but the fact we are communicating differently. What is important to one spouse is not important to the other. Often, when we are trying to talk to each other about problems or difficulties, if we don’t find the same things … [Read more...]
Fellas: 5 Easy Techniques to Take You from Date #1 to Date #2
I was watching a TV show recently and guys were complaining about not having an opportunity to get to know the women they were dating. The women on the show were essentially looking for specific traits and if the guy didn’t meet the specific traits, they would cast him back out with the other fish in the sea. Of course, the men were frustrated by this, but they also didn’t … [Read more...]
3 Things You Should Never Ever Do in an Argument with Your Mate
The best marriages and relationships are going to have arguments and disagreements. Many times, the arguments take on a life of their own because we get frustrated to the point that we hit below the belt. We have to remember that ultimately we are in each other’s corner and, although this is an argument, we don’t want to say things that are hurtful or scathing which affect … [Read more...]
3 Ways We Can Live Out the True Reason for the Christmas Season
I hope you are enjoying your Christmas season, and especially today, the day we celebrate the birth of Christ. It’s always important to understand and remember the true reason for this season of the year. I think it’s also important to remember how the life of Christ impacted our family structure and the family as a unit. Husbands, Love Your Wives I believe the foundation … [Read more...]
Should We Re-Define Gender Roles in Marriage?
A topic of conversation that keeps coming up with some of my colleagues is gender roles and how they are changing. In society in general, gender roles are definitely changing in many areas. The military was once off limits for women, now they recently enacted the ability for women to engage in combat at every level, including become Navy Seals and Army Special Forces. In a … [Read more...]
3 Signs You are Fed-up with Your Spouse and They are Fed-Up with You Too
There are times in our marriages where we have problems, but we struggle with finding a resolution. I have found in some of those situations, it’s because there are some deeper issues individually. When we see these recurring issues, both partners have to take accountability and look for signs that one of the partners needs further help. This is not about pointing fingers, … [Read more...]