Many of you may know me as a mummy blogger, but by day I am a marketer. More specifically, an insurance marketer where I help consumers to demystify and make sense of often confusing insurance jargon like persistency, no lapse guarantees, premium waiver …have I already lost you?
Last week, I was reviewing an investment article and the main message is how one has to have a long-term view and remain invested in order to reap the returns of an investment. And as I read the article, it got me thinking of how some of these investment basics hold true for marriages too.
Most couples enter into marriages having unrealistic expectations that they can change their other half to be more ______ (fill in the blanks) after marriage. Of course, we know that it seldom happen and we find ourselves wondering if we really married the right mate.
Marriage often becomes the rude awakening after courtship when true colours start to surface. In fact, I’ll be honest to share that the first year of marriage was the hardest for me as I had to adjust from a “me” mentality to a “we” mentality. Thankfully, we didn’t kill each other and celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary last month.
The reality is, marriages like stock markets will have it’s ups and down. But if you stick to your marriage, like how one is often advised to stick to their investments with a long-term focus, then you will eventually reap the returns of your marriage investment.
Here are 5 things that you can do to invest in your marriage.
1. Invest in listening
When our partners puts everything down and pay attention to us when we speak, it shows that our views are valued and that our spouse shows an interest in us. The art of listening is often lacking due to distractions that we have from my mobile phones to TV and yes the kids. Aim to be intentional when you listen and listen wholeheartedly.
2. Invest in communication
Communication is not just confined to words, but also what’s unspoken through actions. If there is a point when you find that you have nothing more to say to your spouse then it’s a warning sign. In a marriage, there should always be open and honest communication without pulling each other down. Even if we want to correct, it must be done in love.
3. Invest in nurturing each other
Be one another’s cheerleader. Support each other’s dream and encourage your spouse to reach their fullest potential. Speak kind words and pray for each other.
4. Invest in forgiving
My mantra- I forgive. I forget. There will be times when we are let down, disappointed and even hurt. But don’t let them haunt us and instead choose to forgive and be set free from this burden.
5. Invest in yourself
Marriage takes two to work. But if you neglect your own needs, then you’ll end up frustrated and possibly resentful towards your spouse. So if you need time for yourself, voice it out. A healthy marriage is one where you are complete and not waiting to be complete by your spouse.
Love is not a feeling. It’s an everyday choice that we make to invest the best of us, our time and our energy into our marriage. Make your marriage your best life long investment today!
What are your marriage investment tips? Do share them with me!
Do link up every Monday with my Motivational Mondays post. As long as you’re motivated to be more _______ (fill in the blacnks), then link up and get some support! Don’t forget to grab my badge and include it in your post after you have linked up and leave me a comment too.
I will be hosting Motivational Monday every week and I hope that you can join me every Monday. Have a great week ahead!
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Tagged: investment, love, Marriage, marriage advice, relationships
thanks for the reminder! hubby and i try to invest in the marriage by having lunch dates occasionally, since our offices are near enough. 🙂
Hubby and I have lunch dates too. It sounds baffling to some colleagues. But when you have kids, you hardly have time for each other in the evening.
excellent, and very important tips for married couples, and those planning to marry ~
Ai @ Sakura Haruka
🙂 Often we neglect our marriages when the kids come along. But our marriage should be our biggest, life long investment to work on.
I love this post! Very nicely put 🙂 thanks for the reminder. One more to add to the list – invest in dates!! :p
Oh I love lunch dates and Alexis and I try to go for lunch dates once a week 🙂
Your post came in time for me to share it on my wall in FB… which indirect I was trying to hint to my hub… he really forget to romance our relationship after now we have 2 kids (#1 at 2yo and #2 at 5mths old) lol…
I love the way you put it in point form and at the background of a chalkboard.. maybe I can print it and paste on my kitchen fridge so that hub “sees” it daily hahahah
Great reminder *thumbs up*
Haha, let me know if it was useful. We ALL need reminders from time to time. Happy romancing 🙂
Great post! One of the areas I struggle with is the nurturing each other. It’s an area dh and I are both working on.
Thanks for linking up to Motivation Monday! I’ll be featuring your post on tomorrow’s linky
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