THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP
Find something that is just yours
Having your spouse as your best friend can actually be one pillar that can hold your marriage together, even if your romantic attraction for one another were to fluctuate. True friendship lasts a lifetime.
This is also referred to as “rituals,” and are generally defined as unique and regularly occurring activities and interactions that help build a relationship. Every friendship begins with common interest. Find something simple you both love to do – or want to do more of – and do it together on a regular basis.
If you and your spouse are already best friends, that’s wonderful. If not, it’s maybe time to cultivate friendship in your marriage.
Seek opportunities to try new things
LOVE
Why? Because a solid friendship in a couple is one of the top predictors of a happy marriage, the foundation of a healthy marriage and the core of a strong marriage. A high-quality friendship in a marriage is also an important predictor in romantic and physical satisfaction. Building and nurturing the marital friendship can strengthen a marriage, because friendship in marriage is known to build emotional and physical intimacy. Friendship helps married couples to feel safe enough to be more open with one another without worrying about being judged or feeling insecure. Nurturing and building that friendship in marriage requires practice, deliberateness, and takes time and conscious effort.
Friendship is about having fun. Play together. Laughter and fun are keys to building a friendship with your spouse. Fun in marriage is generally about having more adventures and enjoyment together. One of the best ways to do this is to try something new together.
Allow for conflict
Remember that neither marriage nor friendship is completely perfect. In fact, the healthiest friendships are those in which each person can be honest with the other. Sometimes, this means giving your friend “tough love” or confronting them with a difficult topic. Such an interaction may not be easy, but it’s done because you love and care for this person and their well-being.
Be on your partner’s team
When obstacles and outside stressors come against your partner, they need to know you’ve got their back. After all, you’re on the same team. That means you can show genuine interest in being on your partner’s side, and try your best to never do or say anything that could leave them feeling insignificant or alone.
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THE GRAND SEASON • APRIL 2022
WWW.THEGRANDSEASON.COM
