Ah...marital bliss...if only it were true. You’re not married?  Don’t stop reading!  There’s valuable information ahead for having healthy and happy love relationships.  This applies whether you’re the spouse, the boyfriend, the girlfriend, the dad, the mom, the child, or the grandparents.

      Research shows it’s not the conflict that’s important in relationships, it’s how you manage the conflict.  Here are seven secrets to improving your marriage...or any relationship that you want to enrich:

1.   Keep Things Positive. If you want a happy relationship, researchers say you must be good-natured and friendly to your partner.  Criticism and nit-picking are poison to good relationship building.

2.   Follow The 1:5 Ratio.  For every negative thing you say or do to your partner, you must balance it out by saying or doing five positive things.

3.   Be Considerate and Respectful. Happy marriages and relationships are based on friendship and respect. Couples who like each other’s company and respect each other are more likely to stay together.

4.   Don’t Try To Resolve The Irresolvable.  There are times in a relationship that certain issues may not be resolvable. The key is to accept it and go forward.

5.   Honor Differences. Couples who understand and accept each other’s quirks and idiosyncrasies are more likely to stay together.

6.   Sometimes It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It.  Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice and word choice. Think before you speak. (If necessary, discuss conflicts while on the telephone, rather than face-to-face.)

7.   Practice Relationship-Building Skills. Many couples think that, for things to improve, big changes must take place. Actually, making small changes in ourselves (acts of thoughtful kindness, compliments) can effect big, positive changes in your relationships.

      Remember that marriage is like a bank account—you get out what you put in...with interest!

© 2014 Forte Communications, Inc. All Right Reserved