Buenos Días! Ryan and I got home from our honeymoon in Mexico this week and we are already missing the beach, sun, and of course, the endless food and drinks we consumed. I think that if someone could have shipped us our dog, we would have NEVER come home. As if entering back into reality isn’t difficult enough, the 7 hour time difference is really kicking our butts! Thank goodness for spellcheck, otherwise, there would be a 0% chance of this post being decipherable (haha).
While we were on our (belated) honeymoon, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Yay! We had an incredible day that started with a champagne breakfast on our balcony and ended with a private dinner on the beach. As far as anniversaries go, I can’t imagine it gets much better than this. We spent the day poolside and chatted about our first year as a married couple. We couldn’t believe that we were at the one-year mark already! Everyone kept telling us that the first year is the hardest and if you can make it through that, you can survive anything. In my opinion, this past year was the easiest! I’d have to say that a more accurate motto is, “If you can make it through planning a wedding, you can make it through anything”!
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that no couple is perfect and no marriage will be perfect at all times. Since I have only been married for one year, this hardly makes me an expert on how to have a happy marriage. However, I do believe that I have already learned so much about how to be a good wife to my husband and what my marriage needs in order to flourish.
With that being said, I have compiled a list of the top 10 things that I have learned during my first year of marriage. These are the things Ryan and I strive to achieve each day in order to make our marriage the best it can be. Now, remember, these are not my definitive “rules to a happy marriage”. Every couple is different, every situation is different, and things should be handled in a way you see fit and appropriate.
– This post contains affiliate links –
| Mrs. Robe |
Top 10 things I learned during my first year of marriage:
- Good communication is the key to everything. Whether you’re upset about something, have to work out a schedule for your kids, or just tell your spouse how much they mean to you, having good communication is a must. It is not only important to share things with your spouse but also to share them in the right way.
- You should always strive to be the best version of yourself. Hopefully, your spouse inspires you to become your best self! This doesn’t mean changing who you are to please them either. This means waking up every day and trying to look your best, shedding those few extra pounds, going out and getting that new job, starting that DIY project you’ve been putting off, etc. Whatever the case, always work towards being the best you that you can be. Your spouse deserves that, don’t they?
- Not every day will be a good day, but you should try and find something good in each day. You’re going to have disagreements, you’re going to have stressful and hectic days, but if you can find something positive (no matter how small) in each day, you can go to sleep that night knowing your day wasn’t a total loss. Find something to be happy about and hold on to it.
- Marriage “expectations” have to be discussed. If this isn’t something you discussed with your spouse before the wedding day, well, there’s no time like the present! Maybe your hubby expects you to do all the cooking or cleaning in your home, or maybe you are expecting your man to take out the garbage every day and snake the drain when your hair gets caught in it. Whatever expectations you have for your marriage, you need to share them with your spouse. Otherwise, how do they know? They can’t read your mind!
- You must always work as a team. Hopefully, this is a no-brainer. Just…work together!
- It is important to set aside time each day just for the two of you. Whether you both work full-time, have kids, or just have generally busy schedules, find time every day for some quality one-on-one time. Even if it is just for 30 minutes before you go to sleep. It’s important to connect with one another and be alone without any distractions.
- You should support your spouse 100%. I feel I need to cover my butt here and clarify that you probably shouldn’t support your spouse in ALL that they do. If your husband wakes up one day and decides to kill a man, your response shouldn’t be, “Yes, honey! You do that! I support you”. I’m talking more like supporting your man if he wants to take up karate or if he decides he wants to quit his job to chase his lifelong dream. Let them know you have their back and that they won’t be alone in whatever they want to do.
- You must learn how to balance your individual self with your married self. Find time to see your friends, have your own hobby, and make time for yourself now and then. It’s refreshing to be alone and do your own thing every once in a while.
- Understand that a marriage is not 50/50. It’s about each person giving 100%. Some wisdom my Dad instilled in me during my engagement, a marriage is about both individuals giving it their all. We often hear that a marriage is each person contributing 50% to make 100%. However, I believe it is better to focus on the idea of each person giving it their all.
- Be true to you. After all, they married YOU, didn’t they?
So for all my other married peeps out there, what have you learned in your time as a married couple? What are your secrets to a happy and healthy marriage? Let me know in the comments below!
