YOUR QUIZ RESULTS ARE HERE, AND…
YOUR FRIENDS COULD BE HOLDING YOUR MARRIAGE BACK FROM ALL THAT IT COULD BE.
Your friends may not be actively hurting your marriage, but are they truly helping it? In the Early Years of Marriage Project, researchers found an interesting relationship between friendships and the success of a marriage. Friends have a powerful influence on romantic relationships, both directly – by providing or withholding approval or support, and indirectly – by acting as a sounding board for marital problems.
Make sure your friends (individuals & couples) are directly & indirectly encouraging you and your spouse toward your marital goals.
“One of the most critical decisions made in life is choosing with whom to spend your time. For it is those close relationships that gradually mold our character until we become a reflection of the company we keep.”
-Richelle E. Goodrich
Keep investing time and energy into your spouse and marriage. Do the heavy relationship lifting, weather the hard times, but remember being married to your best friend should be fun!
Do you have a Mentor Couple? A Mentor Couple is a couple who has been married for a significant time, has been through the ups and downs, and can share wisdom and encouragement with you and your spouse. They don’t have to have a perfect marriage. (There’s no such thing.) But they aren’t just surviving – they are healthy and thriving. You can be real with them and know you aren’t being judged because they know the deal. Marriage is hard. (That’s why it’s so important to have friends that can encourage you.) Don’t be bashful. Ask them to meet you for coffee and conversation.
It can be hard to find a couple that you both click with and feel comfortable talking to. You might find mentor individuals that you can receive guidance from one on one. Just be sure to keep your spouse in the loop as you’re growing!
ACTION ITEMS:
-
Think through your friends (individuals and couples) and ask yourself if they have a generally positive or generally negative influence on you and your marriage.
-
Make sure you and your spouse are on the same page about friendship “standards” and healthy boundaries with opposite-sex friends.
-
Sit down with your spouse and a calendar and make Date Nights part of your regular schedule. Date Night is when you work on your friendship with your spouse.
-
Talk with your spouse about who you both think could be a good Mentor Couple.
THE TOP HAND-PICKED FREE RESOURCES FOR YOUR MARRIAGE
CAN A FRIENDSHIP MAKE YOU THRIVE?
Steph and I have been best friends for 19 years. (The average friendship only lasts 7 years, according to a 2009 Dutch study.) We’ve endured the angsty high school days, the “wild” college parties, toxic boyfriends, first jobs, devastating funerals, marrying the loves of our lives, unexpected job losses and the great transition into motherhood. Throughout it all, our friendship has been to the brink of extinction and back. So what’s made our friendship last this long and allowed us both to thrive as individuals?
5 WAYS FRIENDS AND FAMILY INFLUENCE YOUR RELATIONSHIP
After you say “I do,” there’s a lot that changes and there are new things to get used to when it comes to friends and family. Add the holidays to a new marriage, and it’s easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed. It quickly becomes obvious that friends and family influence your relationship.
READY-MADE VIRTUAL AND DIY DATE NIGHTS!
You know date night makes you feel good, and it makes your marriage happier overall. But, how the heck are you supposed to do date night regularly? We’ve got you! Check out these free virtual and DIY date nights.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
AFFAIR-PROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE
The possibility for infidelity in your marriage is, unfortunately, always present. (No matter how in love, secure or careful you both are.) While there’s no guarantee for anything in life, there are tangible steps you can take to create an infidelity-resistant relationship! Learn more…
PRICE: $19.99
MAXIMIZE YOUR MARRIAGE
In every great story, the characters face obstacles. The story of your marriage is no different. But now you’ll get the tools you need and even some guides to help you overcome the obstacles. It’s your story. You get to decide what comes next. Learn more…
PRICE: $54.99
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR SPOUSE ABOUT OPPOSITE-SEX FRIENDS
Need some guidance in creating good, strong boundaries for your marriage? Check out this hefty DIGITAL E-BOOK by Marriage Researchers & Therapists! See the first three pages for free. Learn more…
PRICE: $4.97
SHARE YOUR RESULTS!
Click the icons below to share your quiz results on social media!
