Advice and tips on making your marriage a life-long affair.
On the day of the dream wedding, the beautiful bride and handsome groom share vows to love, honor, and cherish. After celebrating in the company of friends and family and the honeymoon, we ask the question, how do you get to happily every after? If your big day is approaching, you’re probably filled with joy, anticipation, and so much love you can’t stand it. So why is it that happy marriages seem to elude many couples? Even though statistics say around fifty percent of marriage won’t make it, it’s not that hard to create a marriage that will stand the test of time. We’re here to show you how an investment of a little time everyday will pay off and create your happily ever after.

The Skills for Creating a Happy Marriage
Hi, my name is Dr. Brenda Wade. I’m a psychologist, television host, author, and speaker, and I want you to know I’m also a happily married wife and mother. A fairytale wedding won’t lead to a fairytale marriage, because real life isn’t make-believe. Along with my friend Darren Jacklin, mega manifestor, author, and transformation teacher, we will show you how a good satisfying marriage is about day to day growing your insight, skill, and love. And I promise you, that is easily within your reach.

Marriage is just like any job. There is a purpose and a skill set that is required along with steps to practicing the skills.

First, the real purpose of marriage is to assist one another in growing to your full potential. You need a high “GQ” or growth quotient score. In other words, you just keep growing so that the score gets higher and higher.

Second, you need insight and skill to successfully navigate your relationship. Just like obtaining a driver’s license requires that you have the basic skills to drive a car, a marriage requires equally vital skills and insight in order to flourish. Following is a brief quiz that will give you an idea of what it takes to get a license to love.

Do you quality for a “Love License?” For a quick glimpse into your marriage and relationship skills, answer these questions.

1. What were your parents’ patterns (or blue print) for love? In other words, what did you see them do in their relationship? Was there abandonment, betrayal, superficial connection, or maybe one or both of your parents tended toward controlling or domineering behaviour?

If you can’t answer this question in one or two concise sentences, you have work to do. Because guess what my friend, you will repeat what you learned in childhood. Or maybe, like so many of us, you’ll go 180 degrees in the other direction as you attempt to not be your mother or father. Mind you, this is not blaming or putting anybody’s parents down. Don’t forget, our parents could only emulate what they learned from their parents.

2. What is the most effective way to communicate in a love relationship? For example, do you point out whatever your partner is doing wrong, by saying:
a. “You never come home on time.”
b. “You never listen to me.”
c. “You aren’t meeting my needs.”

New York Times writer Tara Parker-Pope recently published a book titled For Better: The Science of a Good Marriage. The book explores the nature of relationships and examines common social perceptions and misconceptions about marriage and divorce.

The book discusses the biological basis for animal behaviors, trends in marriage, statistical analysis, and provides a lot of great insight. Throughout the book, Pope also assesses various factors that help keep certain marriages together and force others apart.

Recently, Marie Claire magazine revealed some of the book’s pretty surprising facts about long term relationships. For example . . . the fifty-percent divorce rate is actually a myth. Statistics that high are usually only seen within certain groups like college dropouts who marry under the age of twenty-five. In fact, divorce rates have actually been declining since peaking in the 1970s.

While discussing monogamy among humans, she states that: “The very essence of human nature is the ability to control our impulses and make choices. Almost without exception, men and women say they value monogamy in relationships.” Pope goes on to claim that marriage is actually good for your health: “Relationships . . . offer practical support - friends, family, and spouses can . . . pick up a prescription, or take you to the doctor, and care for you as you as you recover from an illness.”

Tara Parker-Pope’s book is both enlightening and intriguing. She draws from her own experiences, and uses her past relationships and divorce sources of inspiration. Parker-Pope shares wise advice on why relationships often go wrong, and gives readers tips on how to keep their relationships healthy and happy.

For Parker-Pope, one of the most important points to remember is that no one enters a relationship an expert. Every relationship has a learning curve. For Better is a useful resource for new couples starting to expect more from one another, from their lives, and their marriage.

Resource Used:
http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/family-relationships/articles/dating/shine-marieclaire/shine-marieclaire-5_surprising_facts_about_long_term_relationships/1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/06/AR2010050605866.html

http://www.bennadel.com/blog/1962-For-Better-The-Science-Of-A-Good-Marriage-By-Tara-Parker-Pope.htm