Getting into a marriage is a daunting experience. The stakes are high, and you never really know how things are going to pan out in advance. You could be marrying the person of your dreams, but they might change during your marriage into somebody you longer recognize.
Throw children and money into the mix, and things become much scarier. If things go wrong, you’ll have to negotiate those minefields somehow too. Starting a family, therefore, is a high-risk enterprise.
People still do it though, despite the risks, because for them it’s still worth it. Living the single life is still a sacrifice – just of a different kind. Many people would prefer to take their chances.
So what are the hidden signs that your marriage is going to last?
1. Your Partner Uses Their Smartphone Freely In Front Of You
Like it or not, our smartphones are the central social conduits of our lives. Pretty much everything that happens to us interpersonally runs through them.
Deceptive people will usually try to avoid using their phones in front of you. Or, if they do, they will carefully tilt them away so you can’t see the screen. They will never cuddle you while typing something in your field of view. Look out for this sign of infidelity. It’s an important one.
2. You Are Both Open To Counseling
Relationships never quite go according to plan. In that sense, they’re a little bit like life. You eventually find yourself making strange compromises or accommodations to fit the needs of your partner. Sometimes, the interpersonal dynamic itself can break down, leaving you feeling a little lost in the wilderness.
Many people in healthy marriages use pandemic-friendly virtual couples counseling. They understand the value of getting external help and seek it out if they discover what seem like intractable problems in their relationship. Being open to improvement and external help gives you the best chance of seeing it through.
3. You Take Time To Listen To Their Needs
Happy relationships are those in which each person sincerely listens to the needs of the other. Everyone has things that trouble them, whether it is a difficult job, health issues, or relationship problems with their families. However, successful couples make a point of actually listening to each other and taking in what the other says.
Identifying your partner’s needs is critical in making any marriage last. You don’t want the other person to feel like you’re depriving them in some way by locking them down. Marriage should be an act of giving by both parties.
4. You Find Ways To Resolve Conflict
Accepting the other person for who they are is essential for a marriage to last. Too many couples get stuck in the power struggle stage, trying to dominate the other. There are endless rows, and eventually, one person gives up. The best approach here is to accept the other person for who they actually are, not what you want them to be.
