God himself instituted the Institution called Marriage but in most cases it dosent survive the test of time. WHY?

1. Admiration. Successful couples truly admire each other. But even when things are crazy, they really have a mutual admiration for who they are, deep down inside. I was working with a couple the other day, and the husband was talking about a troubling situation they were dealing with as a blended family. As he was speaking, his wife just watched and listened and there it was on her face the look of admiration! He didn't see it because he was engrossed in the story, but there it was!

2. Respect. Successful couples have respect for each other. Sometimes, when we are dealing with stress in our life and/or family, we might not be at our best. We can behave disrespectfully, because we are angry or frustrated or whatever! That is different than respecting the other person. When our partner is in alignment with who we are and our values, there is a mutual respect present within the relationship that can weather adversity.

3. Shared lifestyle vision or dream. Successful couples share the same ideas when it comes to how they want to live the life both in the present and in the future. Did you ever notice how many couples on those decorating shows will say Our style is and they seem to have the same lifestyle? They are either modern or traditional or country. This is true for overall lifestyle! They are not necessarily exactly alike, but the bulk of how they want to live their life and how they envision their future is the same.

If your relationship isnt like this right now, this does not mean that you should go break up or get divorced! It just means you have some work to do. By the way, if you are currently single, do the assignment based on your past relationships. It will help you create a great one in your future!

1. Evaluate where you are in relationship with your spouse/significant other in these three key areas. Rank on a scale of 1-10, 10 being perfect score, for both you and your partner. What is your level of compatibility? It is feasible that one person admires more than the other!

2. Get real about the differences. Spend some time thinking through the What and Why of these differences and where they might be playing a role in the challenges you are experiencing in your relationship.

3. Get clear about your own desires! Based on what you've discovered, write out details of what the expression of admiration and respect is ideally like for you. Write out details of how you want to be living your life now and in the future. Be as specific as possible! You can't make it happen if you're not clear.

4. Talk with your partner! Let them know what you discovered both the differences AND the similarities. If theyre not reading this article, share it with them. Have them do the same assignment and then come together to discuss ways to blend what you both want for yourselves. If anything, this will help you to re-connect, because, at the heart of every successfully blended family is a strong partnership!

continentalceo: God himself instituted the Institution called Marriage but in most cases it dosent survive the test of time. WHY?

1. Admiration. Successful couples truly admire each other. But even when things are crazy, they really have a mutual admiration for who they are, deep down inside. I was working with a couple the other day, and the husband was talking about a troubling situation they were dealing with as a blended family. As he was speaking, his wife just watched and listened and there it was on her face the look of admiration! He didn't see it because he was engrossed in the story, but there it was!

2. Respect. Successful couples have respect for each other. Sometimes, when we are dealing with stress in our life and/or family, we might not be at our best. We can behave disrespectfully, because we are angry or frustrated or whatever! That is different than respecting the other person. When our partner is in alignment with who we are and our values, there is a mutual respect present within the relationship that can weather adversity.

3. Shared lifestyle vision or dream. Successful couples share the same ideas when it comes to how they want to live the life both in the present and in the future. Did you ever notice how many couples on those decorating shows will say Our style is and they seem to have the same lifestyle? They are either modern or traditional or country. This is true for overall lifestyle! They are not necessarily exactly alike, but the bulk of how they want to live their life and how they envision their future is the same.

If your relationship isnt like this right now, this does not mean that you should go break up or get divorced! It just means you have some work to do. By the way, if you are currently single, do the assignment based on your past relationships. It will help you create a great one in your future!

1. Evaluate where you are in relationship with your spouse/significant other in these three key areas. Rank on a scale of 1-10, 10 being perfect score, for both you and your partner. What is your level of compatibility? It is feasible that one person admires more than the other!

2. Get real about the differences. Spend some time thinking through the What and Why of these differences and where they might be playing a role in the challenges you are experiencing in your relationship.

3. Get clear about your own desires! Based on what you've discovered, write out details of what the expression of admiration and respect is ideally like for you. Write out details of how you want to be living your life now and in the future. Be as specific as possible! You can't make it happen if you're not clear.

4. Talk with your partner! Let them know what you discovered both the differences AND the similarities. If theyre not reading this article, share it with them. Have them do the same assignment and then come together to discuss ways to blend what you both want for yourselves. If anything, this will help you to re-connect, because, at the heart of every successfully blended family is a strong partnership!

Source - http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/why-some-marriages-last-and-others-don-t