The 6 Stages Of Every Marriage And How To Overcome The Challenges
Whatever your views on marriage, it's important to have a clear understanding of what it entails. Marriage is a word for the state of commitment you make on your wedding day, but it's not just one thing, there are actually many stages of marriage. Learn about the six stages of marriage, the challenges that come with them, and how you can overcome them all to enjoy a lasting marriage.
The 6 Stages Of Every Marriage And How To Overcome The Challenges
- Honeymoon paradise
- Settlement and stability
- Family Central
- Find yourself
- Empty Nest
- Compassionate love
1. Honeymoon paradise
Honeymoons can vary depending on the length of your relationship, how quickly you have children, and whether or not you lived together before marriage.
But in general, the honeymoon period is when you and your partner are completely infatuated with each other. You can't get enough of your partner and you want to know everything about them as you start your life together.
Some challenges come from being so concerned about each other that you can overlook some of the more important issues. You cannot live too much in the present at this time, even though it may bring you happiness. Now is the perfect time to decide where you want your life together to go and how long it will last.
You need to present yourself as a solid couple, instead of just having fun in your own little world (or in the bedroom!!).
2. Settlement and stability
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You get to know each other during your courtship, then everything is rosy during the honeymoon period.. Once you've settled into your life together, you need to settle into your life.
You will learn things about your partner that you may not have known before, especially if you don't live with them.. Or maybe you are so happy in love that you easily put those things aside.. Well, you're a team now. You're building a life together, so you have to accept and adapt to things about that person (and yourself!!).
One of the challenges can be a power struggle, as you both try to maintain individuality while still forming a strong partnership.. Each of you will be working on fully developing your career and social life before having children, and it can be difficult to balance that while remaining loving and focused on your relationship.
This is often a great time to get a divorce, but you need to put your relationship first to take the next step.
3. Family Central
After achieving important life goals, you and your partner may be ready to start a family. Whether that means you're adopting a dog or having children, it's still new territory for negotiation. You add members to your family so things are no longer just about you and your spouse. We must make room for others without losing the love we have for each other.
There are many challenges at this time. You add children, maybe even a house and a mortgage to all the things adults do. You have a lot of things to balance, which means you're going to experience a lot of stress. A lot depends on you: the kids need your help, the bills won't pay themselves, and all of this takes money and effort.
It's easy to put your marriage aside at the moment and allow yourself to blame your partner for any problems you may be having. Again, it's important to make your relationship a priority, otherwise it may not survive this difficult time.
4. Find yourself
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When your children go to school, you and your spouse have more freedom. Your kids can do more on their own, and they're away during the day, so if one of you stays home with the kids, you can now go back to being a two-income household. You'll both have more time and space to explore who you are, whether you're looking to reset your career, start something new, or just trying to find new hobbies you like Fill your time.
Challenges at this stage are similar to the second stage of Settling In. You and your spouse are both trying to find yourselves again now that the kids are more independent. You're able to have time to yourself, and you might want that just for yourself – not with your spouse.
This is another rocky stage because time alone is so rare, you crave it, but you might be alienating your partner. The solution is, of course, to keep your relationship a priority. If you want time alone, talk it over with your spouse. Make sure there are no hard feelings. Give each other space but come back to each other for support and love as you transition.
5. Empty Nest
Once your kids leave, it's just you and your spouse again!! That sounds amazing, but it might be more stressful than you'd imagine. You have to learn about your partner again, just like during your courtship and hopefully like during your honeymoon phase!! For so long, you've both put the kids and family first, but now you're able to focus on each other again.
It can be difficult to adjust to being just the two of us after so long, especially if the final stretch of Finding Yourself is especially lonely.. Partners can break up without children to keep them together.. The answer is, yes, you got it!! Make your relationship a priority.
Talk to yourself about whatever is on your mind. Don't worry about your children or try to keep in touch with them to save your own relationship, because they need to start their own lives. Have some fun with your spouse so it feels like you're dating again, splurge on something, and see how your relationship can grow.
6. Compassionate love
Wow, have you completed all the steps?? It's rare these days as the divorce rate is so high. Once you achieve this, you know you have true love. You and your partner have made it through all the stages of marriage and emerged victorious. Congratulations!! You should congratulate yourself for making it this far, entering your golden years and loving each other and the family you've created.
