When the honeymoon stage is over, that’s when a marriage starts to face real-life challenges. And as the years go by, there will be many hurdles that couples will need to face.

The reality about marriage is: it’s not a bed of roses.

But that doesn’t mean that couples can’t have a happy marriage in spite of the challenges and hardships. In fact, couples have full control of the relationship. To make things work, couples need to have the right mindset and must both make an effort. Today we are spilling some of the secret ingredients for a happy marriage. Incorporate these into your daily life and you’ll find yourself in a happy and healthy marriage that can surely withstand anything life throws at you.

(1) Be grateful. 

Appreciate each other every day and say it. Express it. Relationships flourish when couples feel appreciated and loved, when they feel their efforts and the things they do are meaningful for their partner. The best way to make sure your spouse feels appreciated is to express it continuously in any way you want. You can write notes, do small acts of service, or ever just say it. Say “thank you” for even the smallest things. Trust us, this goes a long way.

(2) Cultivate friendships outside your marriage. 

Many people say they marry their best friends. Yes, that may be true. But don’t limit yourself to that friendship either. Keep nurturing friendships outside your relationship–may it be old friends, or new friends. You also need to have healthy external relationships because this gives you space to learn and grow from others. It also gives you a lot to talk about and share with your spouse, making things more fun and exciting.

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