The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work outlines evidence-based strategies to enhance marital satisfaction, focusing on mutual respect, admiration, and shared meaning.
Main Lessons
- Build a ‘love map’ by continuously learning about your partner’s world.
- Nurture fondness and admiration through regular appreciation and positive affirmations.
- Turn towards each other, not away, during interactions to strengthen the emotional bond.
- Maintain a healthy ’emotional bank account’ by investing in positive interactions.
- Allow your partner to influence you; practice mutual respect in decision-making.
- Differentiate between solvable and perpetual problems to effectively address conflicts.
- Overcome relationship gridlock by discussing dreams and aspirations.
- Create shared meaning through rituals, traditions, and common goals.
- Spend ‘magic five hours’ each week on conscious, quality time together.
- Embrace change and flexibility to adapt to evolving relationship dynamics.
- Gain awareness of common myths about marriage to foster realistic expectations.
- Focus on friendship within marriage as a foundation for lasting love.
