Maybe some of these divorce prevention tips will help improve your current relationship to the point where you're willing to try to work things out – or maybe they'll help ensure that your next romantic relationship will be happy and fulfilling.
After more than two decades of collecting stories about the best and the worst ways to handle marriage, separation, and divorce, the editors at Divorce MagazineDivorce Magazine
Harville Hendrix Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt Ph.D. are internationally-respected couple’s therapists, educators, speakers, and bestselling authors. They have written over 10 books with more than 4 million copies sold, including their classic, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples
You could start by asking each other questions to see how well you know each other. For example:
- If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go – and what activities would you do – on a dream vacation?
- What secret dream do you have that you most hope comes true?
- What would be a perfect date night for you?
- What is your favorite color/movie/meal/wine/ice cream flavor/song?
- Do you prefer dark, milk, or white chocolate – or vanilla?
Don’t limit yourself: ask fun, light questions as well as some deep, serious questions. “Identify behaviors that you currently receive from your partner (current behaviors), behaviors you received in your earlier romantic days together (past behaviors), and behaviors that your partner does not do but, if they did, would make you feel loved or cared about (future behaviors.),” note Drs. Harville and Helen Hendrix. “Share this information with your partner, “I feel cared about and loved when you….” And, “I felt cared about and loved when you….” And, “I would feel cared about and loved if you….” And ask your partner to do the same. Write these sharings down.”
Drs. Harville and Helen Hendrix also co-created the non-profit organization Relationships First, which helps people learn how to connect through their differences.
10 Divorce Prevention Tips from the Editors of Divorce Magazine
1. Make time to connect lovingly with your spouse every day.
2. Compliment your spouse regularly
3. Love your spouse in the way he/she wants to be loved.your spouse wantsyou
4. Take care of your appearance.
5. Remain faithful.For Keeps: Marriages that Last a Lifetime
6. Do things together.
7. Spend time apart.
8. Be friends with your partner.The Seven Principles for Making Marriage WorkEight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
9. The Terms of Endearment.
10. Say “I love you” every day.