There is more pressure than ever on today’s married couples. Things like children, work, finances and much more can put enough strain on a marriage as to make the couple seriously consider a divorce. Nobody enters a marriage with divorce on their minds for the future, but it is still happening at an alarmingly high rate. Happily ever after now just seems like a sad cliché rather than a serious commitment. It is almost as if no one even thinks of marriage as permanent anymore. However, there are many things that you can do in order to stop your divorce before the subject even comes up. Here are some tips that you can use to keep your marriage running smoothly:

1.      Don’t sweat the small stuff. If your husband or wife is always leaving clothes lying around or putting near empty drink containers in the fridge, is it really worth getting a divorce over it? Small things like this can be worked out very easily. Remember, you likely knew about these annoying habits before you got married.

2.      Make all of your major decisions together. Many couples fight because one of the partners is not treating the marriage like a partnership. Large decisions like big purchases etc. should be made together. It’s not worth the arguing just to be able to do it alone.

3.      Work on marriage maintenance from the start. Doing things like getting couples therapy and taking retreats regularly keep a marriage fine tuned, while still dealing with the daily stresses.

4.      Schedule regular dating or alone time. When I say regular, I mean every day should have some time set aside for just the two of you. Don’t let yourselves drift apart. That is always the sign that something is wrong.

5.      Agree to disagree on the things that you and your partner just can’t see eye to eye on.

6.      Be willing to admit defeat every now and then, even if you know that you are right. It seems stupid to end a marriage over a disagreement.

7.      Make passion a top priority. You don’t want to let the sizzle leave a marriage if you can avoid it. Most of us don’t want to admit it, but eventually, the spark can leave, and when it does, you have to create one.

8.      Don’t try to change your partner because it will never happen. All you will accomplish in trying is letting them know that they are not loved and wanted as is.