Couples: Mid-Year Relationship Review

Many people make New Years resolutions. Many people do not keep them. It’s human nature. I’m advocating that you take time to do a mid-year review of your relationship.

Is it what you want? If not what have you done to get it there? What have you done this year to improve your relationship – even if it’s good?

Were you kind? Did you take vacations and enjoy each others’ company? Did you have a date night every week? Did you have fun and laugh together; be goofy? Did you talk about your future and what makes you happy? Did you work toward that in 2017? Did you support each other through whatever stress came up (job, family, health, loss of any sort)? Did you split chores about 50/50?

Did you yell at each other? Did you invest in your kids a lot more than in your marriage? Did you spend a lot of time at work, and avoid your relationship? Did you flirt with your beloved or with someone outside your relationship? Did you become a better lover this year? Did you have an affair? Are you using porn or prostitutes rather than facing intimacy in your marriage? Are you using too many drugs, alcohol, sex, device time?

Most people are waiting for their partner to change or do something to improve the marriage. You can only change yourself, not your partner.

What are three realistic things you can do in the remainder of 2018 to improve your marriage?

Here are a few I can think of right of the top of my head:

Speak kindly to one another.

Discuss issues with a huge amount of listening.

Put yourself in the others’ shoes.

Have fun.

Do things outside of your comfort zone.

Don’t be afraid to feel or look foolish.

Deal with your intimacy issues (different than sex).

Please your partner sexually.