Ready for some real and honest relationship advice? โFatherlyโ spoke to 25 people who have been married for at least 25 years about what makes their relationship work. And donโt worry, no cheesy cliches were mentioned.
- Accept and allow: โYou knew who your partner was when you got married, and you canโt change them.โ โ Lynne (married 31 years)
- Imagine life without your partner: โLife would be possible without each other, but it wouldnโt be anywhere near as fun, special, or full of great moments.โ โ Jerry (married 30 years)
- Crack jokes: Weโve stayed in love so long because weโre too busy laughing to be fighting.โ โ David (married 68 years)
- Choose your own adventure: โThe key is to know yourself and what you want before you pledge yourself to a partnership. Then, once youโve found your match, run your marriage like a good company.โ โKathleen (married 31 years)
- Do the work: โ Good marriages donโt just happen. They require a great deal of work and intention.โ โMonte (married 40 years)
- Learn each otherโs love language: You can take the tests and stuff to figure out what each otherโs love language is. Thatโs easy. The more fun part is finding out how you can try to speak to your partner using them every day.โ โGene (married 28 years)
- Ask for space when you need it: โWeโre not shy with each other when we need a breather. Sometimes itโs just a few hours with a good book. Other times, one of us wants to get a coffee and run errands on a Saturday. The key is being respectful about the request.โ โCurt (married 36 years)
Source:ย Fatherly