Someone recently asked me how you deal with friends of the opposite sex once you are in a serious relationship. I wrote an article a while back which discusses how I was in a relationship where the woman had problems with any interaction I had with other women. Regardless if the relationship was purely platonic, close friends, or work related, it was all an issue to her. The … [Read more...]
6 More Tips to Divorce Proof Your Marriage
by Ben and Alisha Walker, Last week, we gave you 6 Tips to Divorce Proof Your Marriage. They were tips to address the issues we've seen in counseling couples for years. And we are back again this week with 6 more tips. All of these tips were taken from our book I Love Being Married: A Guide to Divorceproof Your Marriage which provides married couples, engaged couples and … [Read more...]
6 Tips to Divorce Proof Your Marriage
by Ben and Alisha Walker, Have you ever thought about what it would take to make your relationship better? What do you need to do to make that happen? What if you could get a formula to help you counteract any negative thoughts or feelings that can come up during your marriage? What if you could find a way to “divorce-proof” your marriage? We have worked with thousands of … [Read more...]
5 Bad Behaviors that Have No Place in Marriage
Let's face it. Getting married is easy. It's the staying happily married that can sometimes be challenging. What I've found is that sometimes we become comfortable and aren't as diligent, as we were when we were dating, in trying to keep the harmony. If you are feeling like your husband just doesn't listen to you or doesn't understand your needs, even when you voice them, … [Read more...]
From Good to Great: 7 Ways to Take Your Marriage to the Next Level
Most of the time when I ask people about their marriages, I get responses like: “It’s good.” And sometimes I get: “ We’re all right.” But one response that I would love to hear more often is: “We’re great.” Do you ever see those couples that seem to have great marriages and wonder what they are doing that’s so different from everyone else? The one thing that I have … [Read more...]
I Had to Die for My Marriage In Order for It to Live
As of September 2014, my wife and I will have been married 9 wonderful years. We communicate everything, we are 100% honest at all times, we share our fears and support one another. But, in the beginning we were both selfish, manipulative, disrespectful to one another, and downright ignored how the other person felt. We were headed towards that downward spiral called divorce … [Read more...]
Is It Time For a Maid? When Low Maintenance Living Becomes Costly
I was at the birthday dinner for one of my friends earlier this month. It was a beautiful image: laughter, children, and sisterhood—all that good stuff we need to make it in this world. I was having a good time. A new mother and social worker sat across the table rocking her baby in her arms and shared, “ my low maintenance style of living is really becoming high … [Read more...]
Should Premarital Counseling be Required Before Marriage? Proposed Law Says Yes
Recently, members of the TODAY Show discussed the possibility of The Colorado Marriage Education Act that would mandate hours of premarital wedding education for first-time and repeat brides and grooms. Headed by California-based organization, Kids Against Divorce, the act would require 10 hours of instruction for those getting married for the first time, 20 for those … [Read more...]
10 Skills that Work at Your Job, But Not in Your Relationship
I think we have been lied to, hood-winked, and bamboozled and somebody must do something about it! Somebody had the audacity to tell us when we were growing up that all we had to do was study hard, get a good job, and make money and that would get us the American dream of a loving spouse, car, house, 2.5 kids, and a white picket fence. What they didn’t teach us was that in … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Help Couples Ease the ‘Daily Grind’ of Married Life
by Martine Jolicoeur So often I hear women talk about the fact that their husbands do not help around the house and are oblivious to what they do. Today I would like to submit to you that although I do not live with Mr. Perfect, I do recognize his positive traits and it makes a difference. Far from trying to bash my ladies, (because I am one!), I feel that it is important … [Read more...]
The 10 Most Important Things My Divorce Taught Me About Marriage
I can’t believe it’s already been almost 10 years since my marriage ended. When I got married in 1999, I just knew it was for keeps. Divorce was never an option. Or so I thought. After coming through the most difficult season in my life, I was able to eventually step back and understand where and how things went so wrong. I hope these lessons help you take stock of your own … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Tell if Your Heart Is in Your Marriage
A lot of people say that they want their marriages to be better. But, I can tell that they don’t want it bad enough. I can tell that their heart isn’t in it. When your heart is in something, it is a central part of who you are. When your heart is in something, your feelings, your emotions, your time, and your money are all invested it. When you have a heart for your … [Read more...]
Top 10 Best Places for a Quickie
Oh stop blushing! Let's talk about this for a second. We're grown. We're in love and we've got the passion, so let's use it! Over the years, my loving husband and I continue to surprise each other with our spontaneity and love for "fun" whenever the spirit moves us. We've also done a little research and have come up with the top 10 best places for a quickie. [imagebrowser … [Read more...]
5 Things to Consider Before Asking Mom for Marriage Advice
Our mothers are near and dear to our heart. In most cases they are the ones who raised us and helped us to become the productive adults we are today. However, a question is on the table, “Is your Mom the best person to give you marriage advice?” I pose this question because sometimes just out of mere force of habit and position in our lives, we turn to our parents for advice. … [Read more...]
If at First You Don’t Succeed; 25 Ways to Improve Your Marriage in 2014
“You can’t have a maximum marriage with a minimum effort!” That’s a quote from my husband, Lamar, and it’s basically a mantra for this site. If you want the best out of your marriage, then you have to put your best effort in it. If you want things to change in your marriage, then you have to do something different. We hear a lot of people complaining about their marriages. … [Read more...]