5 Things I've Learned From 5 Years of Marriage

I have learned many things since I got married. Some of them small and simple and others life-changing. Every day we are learning more about each other and about how to navigate our marriage. Part of the beauty of married life is the learning and adapting process. I don't think that ever stops as new seasons of life bring new challenges and surprises.

Today I will be sharing five of the more simple, yet incredibly valuable things I have learned so far in my marriage. Some of them are things you hear about a million times before you get married but don't truly appreciate and understand until after the fact. It's funny how it works. Beforehand you're like "yeah, yeah, yeah I understand that's how marriage will be.." and then you get married and you actually have to navigate through it.

5 Things I've Learned From 5 Years of Marriage

1. Love is a choice. We choose it every day. Good times or bad. We made a promise and intend to keep it. Mike and I still choose each other, even when times are rough. We trust that there is a light at the end of the tunnel if we both choose to work at it.

2. Selfishness kills relationships. Being selfless is hard work. It's not easy. But sometimes the best way to show your spouse how much you love them is to give something up simply for their happiness.

3. People receive love in different ways. Reading The 5 Love Languages, we discovered that we had entirely different love languages! The things that make Mike feel loved are not the same things that make me feel loved and so we had to adapt and learn to speak the other person's language.

4. Dating is still important. There is something so exciting and romantic about planning special times out together. It's easy to stop the dating once you're settled into married life, but it really is important to vary the routine to keep the relationship exciting. 

5. Not all couples fight about money. We have always been warned that money is one of the biggest causes of marital problems. So far I don't think we have had one argument revolving our finances or spending habits. We do have different approaches to handling money. I respect him when it comes to the finances and I think that has played a big role in our avoidance of any issues.

Love,

Tiare