Getting married changes your life in many ways. It can be difficult, complicated and exhausting, but it can also be a great experience.
Marriage teaches you to share your thoughts, feelings and secrets with another person. It teaches you to compromise and work together as a team. It teaches you to be more responsible.
1. You will have to compromise
Many people will tell you that marriage is all about compromise. While compromise is important in a relationship, it can become harmful if it’s used as an excuse to ignore your spouse’s feelings.
Instead, learn to negotiate with your spouse. Take the time to express your needs and listen to their responses without interrupting or attacking them. Also, try to find common ground on issues that are core to your relationship. This will help you build a strong foundation for your marriage.
2. You will have to be more responsible
In marriage, you will have to be more responsible than you were in your single days. From managing household finances to taking care of your children, there are a lot of new responsibilities that you will need to take on.
Healthy marriages require open and honest communication. If one spouse blows the budget, for example, it’s important that they are willing to discuss it and set financial goals going forward.
It’s also important to share in your partner’s successes. This could mean celebrating their achievements or even helping them with a project at work.
3. You will have to spend more time with your friends
When you get married, you are no longer just one person – you are a team of two. That means that everything you do, think, or say will affect your spouse.
This may also change how you spend time with your friends. You may find that you spend more weekends with your husband’s family or his work friends than with your single friends. This can be a big adjustment for some people. However, it can also be a good thing.
4. You will have to spend more time alone
A lot of people take for granted that their spouse will always be there for them. This is not a bad thing. However, if you do not give each other space to be independent, it will lead to resentment down the road.
A healthy marriage requires both partners to spend time alone in order to recharge their batteries. So, if you used to hang out with your friends a lot before you got married, be prepared for the reality that you will have to cut down on this.
5. You will have to learn to trust
Getting married will require you to learn to trust your spouse. You will have to trust that they will do what they say they are going to do.
You will also have to learn to trust that they will respect your boundaries. This is an important part of a healthy relationship.
In a healthy marriage, both partners will get many of their needs met. This is not always easy, but it is possible with good communication and a willingness to grow.
6. You will have to make compromises
You and your spouse are two different people who have their own unique personalities. Living together will bring these out more and sometimes you will have to compromise on things that are important to both of you.
However, you should also know that there are some things you should not compromise on, including your individuality. This will help you to keep your sanity and not lose yourself in the process of making sacrifices for your marriage.
7. You will have to work on your communication skills
Throughout your relationship, you have been comfortable with sharing everything about yourself with your partner. You may even have argued and had straight-up fights with them.
Now that you are getting married, it will require you to communicate things in a different way. For example, you will need to learn how to listen effectively and not get defensive. You will also need to work on your verbal communication skills. Try talking in a calm tone and explaining your thoughts clearly.
8. You will have to learn how to love
In marriage, you will learn how to love your spouse through their good and bad sides. You will also learn how to speak their love language. This will help you build a strong, healthy relationship.
After marriage, you may find that your individuality takes a backseat. This is because you have another person to take care of.
However, don’t let this discourage you. Remember that God is faithful. He can bring dead bones back to life (see Ezekiel 37). So, trust him and wait patiently.
