Is your marriage stalled? Do you find yourself facing the same issues over and over? Would you like to see your marriage grow and prosper? Take the Marriage and Growth Challenge.
Your strength areas have the most agreement and positive aspects. Your growth areas have the most disagreement and need for improvement.
- Communication – Do you share feelings and strive to understand each other?
- Conflict Resolution – Are you able to discuss and resolve differences?
- Partner Style and Habits – Do you appreciate and celebrate each other’s personalities and habits?
- Financial Management – Do you strive to agree on budget and on financial matters?
- Leisure Activities – Do you have a happy and healthy balance of together and apart activities?
- Sexuality and Affection – Do you have a happy, healthy and satisfying sex life?
- Family and Friends – Do you have a strong relationship with your family and your friends?
- Relationship Roles – Do you share in positive and productive ways family decision-making and responsibilities?
- Children and Parenting – Do you work together to offer your children the best parenting you can provide?
- Spiritual Beliefs – Do you respect and celebrate each other’s spiritual and religious beliefs?
By yourself rank these ten areas for strengths and for growth by identifying your top three areas for strengths and your top three areas for growth. With your list in hand, share with your partner your top three relationship strengths. Discuss your agreements and your disagreements. Use the same procedure for the top three growth areas.
Using assertiveness, where you express your feelings and ask for what you want, and using active listening where you let your partner know you understand by restating their message, together create a wish list of three things you would like more of or less of in your relationship.
Do you find this challenge difficult? Would you like help to make your marriage grow and prosper? A professional counselor can help you build the marriage you both want. You, your partner and your family deserve to grow together into the best family you can be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Marriage and Growth Challenge?
How can I identify the strengths in my marriage?
Why is it important to discuss disagreements in a marriage?
What areas should I consider for growth in my marriage?
How can a professional counselor help improve my marriage?
What are some effective communication strategies for couples?
How can we create a wish list for our relationship?
Sources
- Seriously. What's the Point of Marriage? - Gottman (gottman.com)May 7, 2018 ... The Human Growth Machine. The key to becoming a truly successful couple is to take action and expand your comfort zone. Marriage is what Dr ...
- Marriage Counseling Services | Polaris Partners (polarispartnerscc.com)Every love story faces chapters that test its strength. The fairy tale version of marriage skips over the parts where real couples struggle with communication, ...
- Get Your Marriage Un-stuck - Renewing Life Center (renewinglife.net)Sep 9, 2020 ... 1. Change your motivation: Instead of simply reacting to your spouse's behavior, make a decision to follow God's instructions for you as a ...
- What Marriage Counseling Is ... And Isn't - FamilyLife® - A Cru Ministry (familylife.com)I know very few counselors who get excited about testifying in divorce court. We are trained to help individuals and couples work through issues, not navigate ...