This morning I woke up early and realize 7 years ago today, I walked down the aisle to my best friend. It was probably one of the hottest days of the entire year ( nearly 114 outside ) and I felt terrible for all the boys in their tuxes.
Looking back it’s crazy to think how much time was spent scouring bridal magazines and asking my friends for advice on colors and how to coordinate everything to flow together. I would stress about everything and of course, everything came together in one picture perfect day filled with all my favorite people in one room. I’ve written about our marriage over the years ( five years , six years )
- Learn How To Be Better – I’ve written about being a better wife and share some vulnerable moments with you all. But what I mean by being better is that nobody is perfect and I never expect Zach or myself to have it all together. We just learn how to be better with whatever obstacle is presented to us. We both strive to be better together and apart by giving one another space when needed, keeping communication open and learning to just appreciate the time together.
- Work On Yourself – It can be tempting to blame your partner when your relationship is upsetting you or to think like “If only he didn’t care about…” These emotion start to divide your relationship. Having little steps to learn more about yourself, how you operate and what your triggers are can help hopefully eliminate fights in the future.
- Experience Together – Life is a series of ups and downs and experiencing these emotions together is what makes life more interesting. We make it a point to try and do a vacation together without the kids to really appreciate one another again. We’ll rent a bike, go on a hike or try a new restaurant jus the two of us.
- Have Friends That Are Also Couples – It was a challenge when we first moved to Atlanta to try and find a date night together because none of our friends had kids. Now that we’re getting older, several friends have kids and are now couples which we can relate with.
- Communicate Often– Zach and I make it a point to have as much open communication as we can. We both like to know what time the other one will be getting home after a long day of work or out with friends. It’s not that we need to check in but we just like to have a plan on what’s going on. We talk throughout the day too and are always honest with one another about our feelings and what we’re doing. This really helps us both feel appreciated and heard.
- Remember Nobody Is Perfect– It’s so easy to compare yourself to other couples who seem to be more successful, have everything together but in reality, it’s not the case. Social Media has a huge influence in playing a pivotal role in how couples should act or be 24/7. What makes a successful marriage are not the issues that happen but how you handle them together.
- Look At The Humor – Zach is always great about looking at the bright side of any issue and laughing it off. I tend to take things more to heart but always appreciate how he can let several things roll off of him. Sometimes we dance around our kitchen to songs that make us laugh and smile. Laughing together is one of the best things I love about our marriage
I’m sure there are several more things that I can say about how to have a successful marriage but these are the key things that have made us enjoy one another, our time together and knowing our choice was correct when we said ” I Do” seven years ago.
Happy 7th Anniversary! I love your positive tips on ways to beat the 7-year-itch. Remembering that I’m not perfect helps and humor always makes life better.
We’ve passed the 7-year itch 4 times and I think that it is real, but life is always a see-saw sometimes you’re on the same level and sometimes you have to work a little harder.
Happy 7 years to you two!! Such wonderful marriage tips. Here’s to this next year!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
My husband and I have been married for over half our lives now. Overlooking or embracing imperfections in each-other has been key.
I definitely agree about ‘work on yourself’ when it comes to that 7 year itch – it’s like securing your own life jacket before trying to help someone else.
HAPPY 7 YEARS!! What a feat!!! It sounds like you and your husband have a strong bond and that’s awesome! My husband and I are AMAZING as communicating which makes our relationship strong 🙂 It’s all about communicating in my opinion.
Great tips! Sometimes in the hustle and bustle, you forget to focus on what is the most important. Sometimes, it is hard to find time for a date night, especially if you aren’t working the same schedules or have different days off. I’m nowhere near the 7-year mark yet and some of these tips really hit home.
These are great tips! I have been married a little longer, but I think these tips still apply to any marriage to keep the love strong!
Happy 7 years! We try to do a lot of these. We have gotten much better with communicating. We’ve been married 18 years, and it’s not always easy, but we work through our issues.
Communication is so important in all relationships. If you don’t talk about things that bother you, it will build resentment and negativity. Also, when something is going well, communicate that too!
Wonderful advice! The only thing we cant do is a vacation together without the kids. We have no one that could watch our kids for us and that really sucks sometimes because we never get date nights.
Thank you for sharing. These are awesome tips. My husband and I have been together for 6 years at this point … so our 7 year point is coming up quick 🙂
I’ve heard a lot about 7 year itch and this is such an interesting topic for married couple. Thank you for sharing these tips!
These are really great tips! Happy anniversary you two!
This is such a wonderful post with some great tips too. Happy anniversary to the two of you! Hope you have many more!
Happy Anniversary. Such wonderful and positive tips. Communication and teamwork are some great fundamentals.
It think it’s so important with your spouse. It’s so easy to focus on your kiddos…Someone once told me that each day when you wake up, one of your goals should be how to make your spouse day.
Happy 7 years! These are great tips and will surely help a lot. Yes, communication is important!
Happy 7 years anniversary! These are great tips. Spending time together, communicating, making new friends that are couples. It can be a challenge in a new town for sure.
Happy 7 years! Marriage isn’t as easy as some may think. It takes lots of dedication and communication. Great suggestions!
Happy 7 Year Anniversary to you and your hubby! That is an awesome anniversary to celebrate. Love your blog post.
You are a great family! Best wishes!
Great tips! Marriage and family is just the best!
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks