Me Thinks

On the trip I just took with daughters  and daughters-in-laws, we had discussions about the Atonement, motherhood and strengthening our marriages.  Here are a few points on marriage that were brought up:

1. Try to spend time doing something with your spouse each day, even if it is just for a few minutes.  

2. As important as it is to spend time doing things together, it is also necessary to spend time doing something by yourself, such as playing the piano, reading, etc.

3. Adjust your expectations. Our husbands cannot do everything in one day (For example: work in the yard, spend time with the kids, spend time with us, run errands, and so on).

4. Appreciate what your husband does.  

5. Counsel together. Have "big picture" conversations.

7. Don't vent to your spouse when it doesn't matter. Do you really need to tell him what you are telling him?

8. Embrace your partner's flaws, or laugh about them.

9. Don't try to fix your partner.

10. Build up your partner instead of criticizing him. Validate your partner.

11. Try to say five positive comments for every one negative comment.

12. Give your spouse the benefit of the doubt.  He probably did not mean to hurt your feelings.