Six Secrets To Make Your Marriage A Happy Marriage

Marriage isn't easy.  That being said, it's also totally worth it if you and your partner are both willing to put the work in.  Recently, there was a study done of 10,000 couples in 110 different countries that found the secrets that are true across almost EVERY happy and successful marriage.

Whenever I hear of a couple that has been married longer than I have, I always ask them what their secret is.  Normally the man will say something like, "you have to learn to smile and nod a lot" or "learn to give up." But there are 6 things that were common in every happy and successful married person that took this study.  They are:

1.  Mutual respect - I think this is common in ANY relationship from work to friendship, respect has to be the foundation.

2.  Deciding divorce is NOT an option - This was something my wife and I both agreed to before we were married.  We would never use this word as a threat.  If you said it, you meant it so we vowed to just never say it.  It wasn't an option.

3.  Daily rituals - Whether it's having coffee together every morning or watching the news at night, having something you do together every day is key.

4.  Spirituality.  Virtually all the couples believed in a higher power.

5.  Not worrying about sex - Worry about communication.  The rest will take care of itself.

6.  Putting your marriage before your kids.  If you make your marriage the priority . . . and don't just focus 100% on your kids . . . it keeps your marriage strong.  Which is important for your kids AND you . . . kids do what they see.  So by loving your spouse, you're also showing them how to love theirs.

(ABC News)