Three Decades of Experience Yield Tips for a Happy Relationship

TODAY IS OUR 36TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

Here are some of the tips Joanne and I have learned for having a happy marriage over the past three decades:

1. Treat each other as a manifestation of the Divine Presence. Always look for and highlight the best in each other.
​
2. Orient our lives toward something Bigger than the two of us (and bigger than family, home, nation, race, or religious group). In other words, focus on a common spiritual journey. For us, that involves lots of time spent outdoors, meditating, reading and discussing ideas together, and having lots of heart-to-heart communication.

3. Practice kindness and "Right Speech." Honor and respect one another.

4. Balance both Solitude (times apart in retreat) and Time Together

5. Whenever conflict arises, take the attitude that BOTH partners (not just one) are meant to work to see their part in creating the conflict.

6. Encourage each other to value and manifest their own unique gifts. Ask each other lots of questions and be inquisitive. Learn from each other.

7. The best kind of advice is to feed the other's OWN words and convictions back to them.

8. Attend educational events together. This includes movies, talks, workshops, National Parks, museums, etc.

9. Be silly and laugh a lot.


Joanne's additions: 

"Really listening to one another is important. Be each other's biggest fan! It's a journey!

​Photo: Joanne relaxing in a sunny cave on a cold day in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, March 19, 2016

For Spiritual Direction or Workshops, please visit: http://www.resourcesforspiritualgrowth.com/