Why didn’t someone tell me that I missed a post last week? I was so caught up with life that I forgot to get on here. No worries! I’m back AT it this week, and we’re talking about some marriage killers.

Marriage is a beautiful journey filled with love, companionship and shared dreams. Yet, like any relationship, it can face challenges that, if left unaddressed, may strain its foundation. Let’s jump right in and talk about the factors that can strain a marriage, with a special focus on understanding the nuances of these challenges and how to protect your love.

There are 20, so I’ll make it quick. Do any of these apply to you?

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1. Allowing Friendships to Influence: Balancing Bonds
Close friendships are vital, but when friends have more influence over you than your spouse, it can strain your marriage. To protect your love, maintain a balance between your social connections and your commitment to your partner.

2. Neglecting Household Responsibilities: Sharing the Load
When one partner shoulders all the household responsibilities, it can lead to resentment.  Protect your marriage by sharing the load and appreciating each other’s contributions.

3. Avoiding Conflict: Navigating Disagreements
Avoiding conflict might seem like a good idea, but unresolved issues can simmer beneath the surface.  Protect your love by addressing conflicts respectfully, seeking compromise and finding solutions together.

4. Prioritizing Money Over Love: A Delicate Balance
When making money becomes the most important thing, it can strain a marriage.  Protect your relationship by ensuring that your financial goals align with your shared values and your commitment to each other.

5. Stressing Over Finances: Finding Peace
In that same token, financial stress is a common challenge. Protect your love by managing money matters together. Create a financial plan, reduce stress through open communication and seek professional advice if needed.

6. Unrealistic Expectations: The Power of Realism
Unrealistic expectations can create tension. Protect your marriage by understanding each other’s limitations and celebrating your partner’s uniqueness.

7. Sleeping Separately: Reconnecting
Sleeping separately can lead to emotional distance. To protect your love, reconnect by sharing a bed or ensuring that you have dedicated time together.

8. Balancing Kids and Each Other: Prioritizing Love
Focusing on kids to the detriment of your relationship can strain your marriage. Protect your love by nurturing your connection and prioritizing quality time for just the two of you.

9. Unified Parenting: A Team Approach
Speaking of kids, parenting as one unit is vital for a strong marriage. 👶🏾 Protect your love by discussing parenting strategies, supporting each other, and maintaining a united front.

10. Gratitude and Appreciation: A Vital Aspect
Taking your spouse for granted can erode appreciation. Protect your marriage by expressing gratitude regularly and reminding each other of your love and value.

11. Device Attachment: Disconnect to Connect
Being too attached to devices can create emotional distance. Protect your love by setting boundaries on device use and spending quality, device-free time together.

12. Overcoming Insecurity: Building Confidence
Insecurity can strain a marriage. Nobody wants to keep defending themselves about perceived problems based on your own self-esteem issues. Protect your love by working on self-confidence and reassuring your partner of your love and commitment.

13. Trust and Jealousy: Building Trust
Likewise, being overly jealous or untrusting can strain your marriage. Protect your relationship by building trust through open communication and support.

14. Privacy and Boundaries: Respecting Intimacy
Oversharing intimate details with others can erode trust and intimacy. Stop sharing your business with everyone. Protect your love by setting boundaries and ensuring that intimate matters remain private.

15. The Scorecard: Collaboration Over Competition
Keeping score can lead to competition rather than collaboration. There’s no tit-for-tat in marriage. Both parties should be actively working to serve the other. Protect your love by appreciating each other’s efforts and supporting each other.

16. Nurturing Romance: Rekindling the Flame
Forgetting to keep the romance alive can diminish intimacy. Protect your love by nurturing romance through date nights, affection, and thoughtful gestures. Finding ways to stay connected is crucial for a lasting marriage. It’s not just about the physical. An emotional, intellectual and spiritual connection is needed as well.

17. Active Listening: A Crucial Skill
Never listening to what your partner has to say can create feelings of neglect. If you won’t listen, there’s someone else who may be willing to do it for you (and that’s not a good thing). Protect your marriage by practicing active listening and showing that you value your partner’s perspective.

18. Friendship and Love: Balancing Bonds
Don’t forget that you’re friends too. Balancing your friendship with your romantic relationship is essential for a strong marriage. So yes, that means I tell my spouse just about everything.

19. Sharing Control: Collaborative Decision-Making
Always wanting to be in control can create tension. Remember that you’re a team. Protect your love by sharing decision-making and control in your marriage.

20. Embracing Change: Growing Together
An unwillingness to change or grow can create stagnation. You’re not going to be the same person as when you first got married. Protect your love by embracing personal and shared growth, adapting to new experiences and evolving together.

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By understanding the factors that can strain a marriage and actively working together to address them, you can protect your love, fortify your bond and ensure that your relationship continues to thrive.

I’ll dig deeper into some of these topics in this week’s YouTube video. (You’re subscribed, right?) I’m retwisting my hair as well, so you’ll get a good ol’ retwist and chat session. See you then!