Finley and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary on Friday. In typical May fashion, we were at a ball field watching our son play soccer.

This weekend, He and I sat down together and put together some marriage lessons we've learned, realized, discovered, sorta-kinda-figured-out to share with you today.

I hope it could produce a good spark for you in your home 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻

Twenty-Two Lessons Learned

1. It's ok to be a mediocre cook and be an above-average kitchen cleaner.
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2. Take enough different kinds of vacations to discover what your favorite is together.
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3. Building a business with your spouse can be really fun but it is never easy.
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4. It's surprisingly easy to lose your identity as "husband and wife" to "mom and dad."
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5. You get out of it what you put in, so don't be stingy.
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6. Don't neglect open and honest conversations about money.
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7. When you send texts to opposite-sex friends, make sure to include your spouse in the text group.
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8. Speak well of your spouse in private among personal friends.
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9. Speak well of your spouse in public among strangers too.
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10. Bodies change over time but make an effort to take care of yourself so that your spouse finds you attractive.
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11. Disappointment can lead to distance which creates a painful disconnect.
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12. Don't compound the moment when someone is Hungry, Angry, Lost, or Tired.
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13. If either your career or kids are prioritized over your marriage you'll lose them both.
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14. Recognizing your conflict cycle is the first step toward addressing it when it arrives the next time.
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15. Intimacy only gets better over time, but the baby years are complicated.
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16. Finding a couple that is always 10 years ahead of you in marriage is a proven cheat code.
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17. You are not your parent's marriage, so write your own story.
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18. Determine if you are the Pursuer or Withdrawer in your conflict cycle and seek to understand the position of the other.
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19. Apologize when you're wrong and actually say the words out loud, "I'm sorry, will you forgive me?"
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20. If bodies need attention and care to grow and stay healthy, why should your marriage be any different?
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21. Laughing together is a great indicator of your current connectedness.
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22. Marriage is a daily choice, so choosing to give instead of take means you are adding to the life of your marriage.

For the Tribe - B 💙

PS. If you have a friend that is in their first 10 years of marriage, this might be a nice forward for them to read 🥰

PPS. Did you know that BTRIBALFIT members can refer a friend and when they signup, you get a month for free? 🤝