A marriage demands a lot of work. Nurturing love and friendship in marriage creates a healthy balance of romance, practicality, and fun. After all, when your marriage is in going good, rest of the things in life follows suit. Happy marriages make for happy families, a better outlook on life, and more productivity at work. But, you must be willing to put in the work if you what bear good fruits. Nurturing love and friendship in marriage is essential to a long-lasting, healthy partnership. Here are 6ways to nurture your relationship.

Many relationships begin by first forming a friendship. You get to know each other’s likes and dislikes, you talk about your feelings, goals, your days, and you went out and did fun activities together. Don’t forget about this friendship once you are married.

They should be fun, as well. Share the same things with your lover as you would with your friends. Instead of going out for a candlelit dinner, why not go bowling or have a karaoke night instead? Skip the romantic walk on the beach for date night and throw a pool party instead. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is fun and something that both of you can enjoy. You should be devoted lovers as well as best friends. Just because you’re partners now doesn’t mean you have to stop being friends.

Every day every moment is an opportunity to remind your partner how much you love and appreciate them. Couples in happy marriages know how doing the little things contribute to a happy and healthy relationship. Simple things like kissing one another goodbye, making your spouse a cup of coffee in the morning, or putting away the laundry are all simple, yet thoughtful things that contribute to marital happiness. Think back to all the sweet and thoughtful things you use to do at the beginning of your relationship. Buying flowers for her just because you love her, cooking him his favourite dish, dressing up just to stay at home together. These little things can keep the feeling of appreciation fresh in your marriage.

As routines take over and work schedules collide, couples sometimes pass up the opportunity to talk to one another. Take at least 15 minutes or more each day where you shut the rest of the world out. Turn your smart devices and television off and simply enjoy one another’s company. Taking just a couple of minutes a day to connect with each other in this way can do wonders for your marriage.

Whether your schedule can only allow for once a week or once a month, having a regular date night on the calendar can do wonders for nurturing love and friendship in marriage. Use this night to woo each other. Do and a date and plan a special activity that will encourage you to bond, talk, and have fun. Use this as an opportunity to make memories together, to hold hands, and to get creative. Having a regular date night not only promotes fun and intimacy as a couple, it also gives you something to look forward to together.

One way for you to start nurturing love and friendship in marriage is to rethink how you handle your conflicts. It is natural for couples to argue or bicker every now and then, but it’s important to remember that you are on the same side. Don’t use arguments as an excuse to yell, dredge up the past, accuse, or say something for the purpose of hurting your spouse’s feelings. Tackle the argument, not each other. Keeping a grudge is also damaging to any relationship, whether it’s with your parent, sibling, friend, or child. But, it is especially hard when you are holding a grudge against the same person who you vowed to love and care for forever. When it comes to nurturing love and friendship in marriage, do your best to leave your past arguments in the past. Without the ability to move on from the little (or big) things a spouse has done to hurt your feelings, you won’t ever be able to start fresh. Strive for mature conflict resolution and if you ever let your emotions get the better of you – apologize. Keep your marriage bond strong and healthy by making your partner a priority in your life. Talk every day, practice forgiveness, have a regular date night, and never forget that your spouse is your friend as well as your lover. By doing these things, you’ll be nurturing love and friendship in marriage.