Strengthen Marriage with Online Tips

The first of John Gottman's Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is "Strengthen Your Love Maps." This means that we should get to know our spouses better all the time, updating information that may have changed, reminding ourselves of things we may have forgotten, and learning new things about each other. The better we know the person we married, the stronger our love becomes and the better we are able to both enjoy each other and withstand stress together.

Lori Byerly, who blogs at The Generous Wife, posted a year's worth of questions to share with your spouse. Friendly, thought-provoking questions are a great way to start some interesting conversations and strengthen your loving friendship. Most of them can also be used with friends and family members as a way of getting to know each other better and feel closer.

Getting to know your spouse better also promotes the second principle, "Nurture Your Fondness and Admiration." One way to do this is to recall positive memories of the past. Couples can talk about how they first fell in love, happy moments they shared during the history of the relationship, the satisfaction of challenges they overcame together. Talking about those pleasant memories reminds us of the good qualities in our spouses. Time and stress sometimes cause couples to lose sight of the affection and respect they had for each other in the beginning. Recalling those early days and the joy we shared can help revive those feelings.

Another good way to strengthen fondness and admiration for each other is to share new experiences and have fun together in the present. The Dating Divas have an endless supply of date night suggestions, games, love notes, celebrations, family activities, DIY projects, and romantic interludes. No matter what your budget, schedule, or personal tastes, there is something here that will inspire just about everyone.