The Best Marriage Advice Around

“Listen to what each other has to say, and then you can always compromise.” – Liz

“Choose your love, and then love your choice.” – Steven

“Each of you has to give %100!” – Katie

“Say ‘thank you.’ Say it for the big things your spouse does, and say it for all the little things too. You value the things you are thankful for.” – Crystal

“The best way to stay married is to not get divorced. In 15 years of marriage there have been times when staying married has seemed like a prison sentence. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – everyone I know who has been married for longer than ten years agrees that marriage is HARD. That’s why there are so many seminars and talks about it. My husband and I decided a long time ago that we don’t want our kids to have divorced parents. Since neither of us is abusive, addicted or cheating, we’ve been able to choose to stay married even during those times – and we all have them – when we’ve wondered how on earth this is ever going to work. We just tunnel through the hard times and come out the other side, and we’re always glad we did. So far – lol!” – Jennifer

“You aren’t responsible for your spouse’s choices.” – Ami

“Always try to be the better spouse…Be the first to apologize, to say you are sorry, and to forgive…The better person isn’t the one to win the argument, he or she is the one who is able to apologize first. There is such freedom in being able to say you are sorry to a person and to ask for forgiveness. I have used this not only with dealing with my husband but also with my children. The counsel given me on my wedding day was exactly what I needed to hear. It has preserved my marriage. I’m so glad I listened.” – Renee

“My dad told me & my husband, when we got married, ‘If you don’t mean it, don’t say it. You can’t take words back.’ For 33 years I can honestly say we have never belittled or teased each other in serious times or times when we are light hearted, we have used only words that build. Some times I’m sure my husband has wanted to say to me, ‘You are such a ding bat!’ and he would be right, because sometimes I am, but thankfully we made that promise not to talk to each other like that.” – Kathie

“‘Never go to bed angry,’ is the worst advice. Sometimes sleeping on it is great.” – Mary

“Communicate. Even if you are a ‘perfect fit,’ when you first get married, you won’t be for long. TALK ABOUT STUFF. If you feel something is lacking, tell your partner. If you have a need that your spouse can’t fill (like playing video games with guy friends), talk to them about it….Conversely, learn to be OK with your spouse talking to you about anything, including criticism. Realize that if they say they’re missing something, it’s not because they don’t love you.” – Ryan

“I always liked the quote, ‘A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves you a hundred moments of regret.’ Sometimes we are too quick to speak instead of listening and understanding where the other person is coming from. Patience can go a long way in marriage and save you from unnecessary tension.” – Lexi

“Kindness and unselfishness… really caring how your mate feels…” – Valerie

“Some think a marriage should be a 50/50 relationship but each person needs to be willing to give 100/100.” – Sheree

“About 10 years into our marriage, I was getting discouraged. I read this in a book about marriage and it really changed my perspective. And it totally works! ‘If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)” – Renee

“Be kind. I think that sums up a lot of what makes a couple happy and successful.” – Anonymous

“Never go to bed angry with one another. Work it all out, don’t drag it out. Also pray together, and when you do pray – pray aloud for how thankful you are for your spouse. Pray for their needs and wants. A lot of times your spouse won’t hear how thankful you are for him or her until you pray and thank God out loud for them. The other one that is huge is don’t talk badly about your spouse behind his or her back. If you say it behind his or her back, you are more likely to say it to their face when you are fighting or angry. Another is forgive and forget, don’t keep throwing past mistakes in their face.” – Katie

“It’s okay to go to bed angry, sometimes we are being irrational because we are tired.” – Heather

“Don’t hold onto bad feelings towards any bad situation that involves you and your spouse. Forgive. Value your spouse and let him or her know how much you value them. Be humble enough to accept the mistakes you make and ask for forgiveness. Always keep your friendship alive.” – Anonymous

“Work on your problems together rather than with family and friends. Your relationship will grow stronger and other people don’t know the whole story.” – Erica

“My brother in law recently got married and was advised that when making decisions in marriage, you should never do something unless both people are 100% on board. He then said that sometimes you will make the wrong decision, but as long as you were both in it together, everything will be okay. My husband and I have found in our marriage that that is so true. Every couple has their own way of doing things: i.e. disciplining, who pays the bills , communication, etc and that’s okay. The important thing is that you are BOTH on the same page with what you decide to do. We have found in our marriage that when we can achieve this, our marriage is at its happiest.” – Anonymous

“Don’t be afraid to be the one who loves more.” – Amy

“The very best advice I ever received was from my aunt who had recently been divorced. She said, ‘If you feel like times are tough and you can’t go on with your marriage, go to a single adult dance and see what there is to offer on the other side. It will give you pretty good perspective, and you will realize as tough as marriage can be, the alternate is much worse. The seemingly insurmountable obstacles in your marriage instantly become minor annoyances that are easy to live with.'” – Scott

“Go to bed at the same time as your spouse. It is really difficult when you have kids, a busy life, and crazy work hours, but it’s worth it!” – Tania

“Read ‘Marriage is For Losers.'” – Abby

“Read ‘His needs, Her needs.‘” – Melanie

“My dad talked to me once because I used to joke about little things my spouse did. My dad said that I should always build him up instead of break him down with things I said. I took it to heart and started saying positive things instead of joking around, and my love for him grew that much more.” – Heather

“Though the going may be rough, it’ll all be worth it in the end, just have faith, and keep holding on…Figure out a good balance with you and/or your husband’s work load.” – Heidi

“Don’t involve others that won’t be a part of the forgiveness process.” – Jessica

“Some days you’re going to be really angry and it’s two in the morning and you need to go to bed. Forcing resolution sometimes can make it worse…Perfect marriages ultimately result in two people who love like one…Unify yourselves…you have to be two people but one in love and purpose.” – Lara

“Love is a verb.” – Erica