Happy Sixteenth Anniversary to Us: Sixteen Ideas for a Successful Marriage

Sixteen Marriage Tips on Our Sixteenth Wedding AnniversaryIn honor of our sixteenth wedding anniversary, Mr. Jenn and I have come up with a list of sixteen things and a few affiliate links to make your marriage better right now. In all fairness, the affiliate links we added probably won’t be a huge contributor to your marital bliss. The small commission we might make from them could help ours, however. Ha!

Additionally, Mr. Jenn had some other great ideas to add for a happy marriage. I had to censor him because very few of his suggestions were family friendly. They were good, though. Really good.

1. First of all, Mr. Jenn says put down the cell phone and really talk. I didn’t censor this one!
As a blogger, I find this one the hardest. I’m really working on a balance here.
2. Try new things. Take that any way you wish.
Mr. Jenn had lots of suggestions should you need any.
3. Spend time alone together. Most of all, make quiet time to reconnect a priority.
We came up with that one in the midst of a stellar Lightsaber fight our kids had going on right in front of us while we were trying to think.
4. Date each other. Be decisive in what you would enjoy doing.
When your partner asks you where you want to go, tell them. Don’t just say, “Whatever you want is fine.” Marriage is a partnership made of two people with some separate interests. Sharing those interests spices things up and helps both partners grow.
5. Go somewhere every so often that neither of you have ever been.
This doesn’t have to be an elaborate vacation, although those are great, too. Last year, we took a ride to a coastal town we’d never visited. It was a great day, and it only cost us gas and food.
6. Share the chores.
My husband is a wonderful cook, so he keeps us fed. We can always count on a yummy dinner when we come home. I keep the clothes washed, and we all try to keep the house picked up. Due to piles of toys, that’s a never-ending chore.
7. Make time to relax.
Mr. Jenn opened one eye from his comfy deck chair to share that one.
8. Say, “Thank you.” Seriously, manners still apply.
We both work hard both in and outside the home. It means so much when we show appreciation to each other for what we contribute to the family. When Mr. Jenn fried the most amazing fish the other night, I did everything I could to make sure he knew how much I appreciated his efforts. We are all so much happier due to our “attitudes of gratitude!”
9. Laugh together. Tell jokes. Talk smack. Have fun.
We picked up our kids’ lightsabers and started fighting with them out on the deck. Soon, we were all laughing like crazy. It was all fun and games, though, until Mr. Jenn got a charley-horse, and I got a splinter.
10. Hug each other, and touch frequently.
This breeds closeness and connectedness. A good back scratch will make the stresses of the day fade quickly. Additionally, all this snuggling could lead to a nice massage or some of Mr. Jenn’s earlier suggestions.
11. Leave work at work whenever possible.
Jobs can be stressful, and sometimes frustrations come home unintentionally. Have you ever picked a fight with your spouse because you’d had a rotten day at work? Me too. We both have. It’s easy to blow irritations from outside your marriage out of proportion. Tread lightly here.
12. Give compliments. Show each other that all those efforts are worthwhile.
Giving your spouse props is a big deal, and it makes it harder for outside frustrations to create problems in the marriage. Kindness and encouragement almost always result in positive energy.
13. Don’t put yourself down because it’s easier to love another when you love yourself. For example, it’s a bad idea to stare at your reflection and demean your body. If you don’t like something about your body, then change it if you can. Otherwise, embrace it, and move on. Wrinkles, chin hairs, and sagginess are battle scars. Consequently, we should all embrace them.
14. Dream together.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Even if you’re 75, this is a relevant question. I hope I’m asking this at that age.
15. Learn new things together.
You could take a painting class, dance class, or just look at some YouTube tutorials on something that interests you. Getting out of your comfort zone breaks up monotony and lends a huge sense of adventure.
16. Finally, you should make things together (other than babies)
Babies are great, don’t get me wrong. Instead, I was talking about art and creativity. Mr. Jenn and I love putting things together for our house. We have so much fun bringing our ideas to life.

Since we like creating so much, Mr. Jenn has started his own woodworking business. We can’t wait to launch his new Etsy shop soon! Talk about keeping things interesting! Keep checking back for some interesting news and views early in the week!

In the meantime, embrace your marriage. How do you keep it all together? Leave your ideas in the comment section—we can all use the advice!

Lots of hugging is one of the tips shared here for a long and happy marriage!

2 thoughts on “Happy Sixteenth Anniversary to Us: Sixteen Ideas for a Successful Marriage

  • April 14, 2017 at 3:46 pm
    Permalink

    Happy Anniversary! I love how hubby is Mr. Jenn. Of course he is! May I suggest you change his name to Mr. Jenn WTOTM? (Me. jenn With The One Track Mind)

    These suggestions were terrific. I’ve actually tried the “go on lots of dates” thing but it wasn’t very successful. Until one day I realized it was “with each other” and then it worked better. Until the divorce. Oh well. I will live a happy marriage vicariously through you. That okay? 😉
    Stephanie

    Reply
    • April 15, 2017 at 12:31 pm
      Permalink

      Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha! That’s hilarious! I’m over here just cracking UP! Yes…you can!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.