The pressure to maintain the perfect marriage can be daunting.
Divorce rates are declining, but one-third of marriages still end in divorce.
If you follow these rules, yours won't be one of them. Read on for 10 of the best rules for a happy marriage.
1. Forgive
2. Apologize
3. Don't be afraid to argue
4. Listen
5. Appreciate
6. Embrace change
7. Be a team
8. Respect each other
9. Don't bring up past mistakes
This goes back to having good communication and forgiveness.
If you have raised an issue with your partner, after which they've apologized and you've solved the problem and moved on, you have to let it stay in the past.
You can't bring it up again to use as ammo in other arguments later down the line. That will only build resentment.
This also means letting go of previous relationships. Never compare your wife to a previous girlfriend, or your husband to a previous boyfriend.
10. Never go to bed angry at each other
This one is cliche, but it's true.
Know that it's totally normal to get angry at each other, but try your best to resolve your problems before you go to sleep.
It's never good to be kicked out of the bedroom, sleeping on the sofa, or lying next to each other in resentment at night.
That just creates a wedge between the two of you.
Instead, try to talk things through until the both of you feel comfortable enough to sleep. Your marital bed should be a place of peace and sanctuary, not a warzone.