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5 Ways to Manage Anger

March 25, 2015 by Power of Positivity

When your blood starts to boil in anger because of some distressing event or something someone said, how do you usually react? Do you yell at whoever made you angry? Throw things against the wall? Get in your car and speed away to avoid the situation?

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you feel that your anger gets the best of you far too often, look into these peaceful techniques that will help you stay in control every time you feel your fuse running short.

Here are 5 Peaceful Ways to Manage Anger

1. Practice abdominal breathing.

According to Harvard Medical School, shallow breathing from the chest makes you feel short of breath which can make it harder to manage anger, as it increases tension and anxiety. If we breathe deeply from the diaphragm the body and mind start to relax.

You will probably have tightly clenched fists, rapid, shallow breaths, a knot in your stomach, tension in your muscles, and a swift heart rate. Most people would agree that this doesn’t feel good within their body, and want to relieve the stress they feel somehow. One easy way to do this without hurting yourself or others is to simply breathe. This will quickly diffuse the tension and make you feel centered and calm once again.

Each time you feel a bout of rage coming on, take some deep breaths all the way down into your belly, hold them for a second or two each time, and then release slowly through your nose. In order for you to gain control of your emotions, you need to stay in tune with your body and notice how you feel inside every time you get angry.

2. Regain your composure, and talk out your feelings.

Don’t beat yourself up for feeling angry; it happens to the best of us and shouldn’t be looked at in a negative light. However, letting the anger cloud your better judgment and react in a way that hurts yourself or others will always have an unfavorable outcome. If someone says or does something to trigger your anger, walk away from the situation if you have to in order to avoid unnecessarily lashing out at the person. Don’t ever let others control your emotions; remember that only you can govern your feelings and that you can take ownership of your reactions.

Once you feel calm enough, approach the person who made you angry and ask if you can peacefully discuss your feelings with them. If you go up to people in an approachable manner rather than meeting them with hostility, they will be much more likely to listen to your side of the story. Also, think of how you would want someone to talk to you – you probably wouldn’t respond very well to someone cursing you out or berating you for your words or actions. Bear this in mind when hashing things out with someone. Things will go much more smoothly this way.

3. Visualize something that makes you happy.

One surefire way to counteract the anger is to put an image in your mind of something that instantly brings you joy. Anytime you feel a negative emotion, imagine your family or friends there with you, or reminisce about a happy memory, such as seeing your favorite band in concert or going on a cross-country road trip.

Take your mind on a voyage far away from the incident that evoked anger within you, and replace it temporarily with more cheerful thoughts and memories. Then, when you come back to the disconcerting situation, you will have a much clearer, stable mindset to handle your emotions and think of solutions to the problem at hand.

4. Avoid criticizing or placing blame on others.

When you call other people out for what they did wrong, they will immediately close up and get defensive. Stick with ‘I’ statements instead, such as “I’m upset that you made plans without including me,” rather than, “You never invite me anywhere with you.” By accusing people directly, you will find that the conversation quickly turns into a battle of the egos rather than a rational, mature discussion of feelings.

Talk about how you feel without holding other people responsible for your emotions. Indeed, they will have more understanding and probably admit to their mistakes if you don’t come off too aggressively.

5. Find humor in the situation.

Zoom out for a second and remember how short this life really is – do you want to spend it taking things too seriously and overreacting when things don’t go your way? Lighten up a bit and remind yourself that people make mistakes; everyone is just trying to do the best they can. At the end of the day, having the ability to laugh at the universe when it sends you a curveball can save you a lot of unnecessary stress and wasted emotions.

Maybe your husband works in construction and constantly tracks dirt and debris throughout the house. Instead of yelling at him and getting angry, bring your sense of humor into the situation by telling him he has to earn his dinner tonight by cleaning the house spotless. This way, you both can hopefully laugh about it and come up with a solution instead of wasting valuable energy arguing.

Which one of these anger management tips could you benefit from most? Which ones could you add to the list? Share in the discussion below!

6 Things That Trap Us in Fear (And How to Overcome Them)

March 25, 2015 by Power of Positivity

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” – Jack Canfield

Fear: the one thing that holds humans back the most in life..and it doesn’t even truly exist.

Let that sink in for a moment. How many times have you opted out of new experiences because fear came knocking at your door once again? Fear seems very tangible sometimes, but our powerful minds often create elaborate stories that don’t ever play out in real life.

If you never push past that fear, you will live out your days painfully wondering what you could have discovered by simply taking a chance. Most people have regrets at the end of their lives, so if you want to live fully while you have the chance, use these tips to discover your courage and put fear to rest once and for all.

Here are 6 Things That Trap Us in Fear (And How to Get Un-Stuck)

1. You don’t know what you’re truly afraid of.

After living on this planet for a while, fear tends to build up in our bodies like water in a dry creekbed following several intense rainstorms. Eventually, that fear overflows, drowning us and everyone around us in a paralyzing state of panic. However, just as water recedes after a bad storm, your fear will diminish if you dig deep to find the source of it and give it someplace else to exist besides within you. In other words, you need to figure out what you fear, acknowledge those feelings, and then let them move on, flowing freely as new energy in a different form.

Everything is energy, and if you let go of things weighing you down, you set that energy free to manifest as a (hopefully) more positive outcome somewhere else. It often helps to write down your fears and determine if these scenarios could really happen or not. By writing them down, you can see on paper whether it makes sense to worry about these issues. Oftentimes, you will see that your worries only use up valuable energy; you can then release your fears once you’ve seen what they look like and how harmless they really are.

2. You keep the fear bottled up inside you.

If something puts us in a state of unease, we often hide it from others in fear of being ridiculed or misunderstood. People tend to tuck any negative emotions under the rug to deal with later, but this can be extremely detrimental. The burden will only grow heavier as time wears on, so make sure to deal with any anxiety you feel now before it becomes unbearable. Talk to someone you love and trust if you feel overwhelmed or don’t know how to handle the fear yourself – don’t feel ashamed in voicing your struggles; people who really care about you will feel more than happy to help you.

3. You focus too much on the problems, and not enough on the problem-solving

When you give all your attention to what you feel afraid of, you will only manifest more negative events in your life. Remember, energy flows where attention goes, so keep this in mind as you work through any blockages you might have. By putting all your energy into what will happen by overcoming the fear rather than how badly you the fear makes you feel, you can shift your perspective and see opportunities where you once saw obstacles.

Just think of what kind of person you can become when you turn fear into fortitude, and use that as your incentive to keep going.

4. You let your past experiences dictate your present and future.

How many times do you have recollections of the past and believe that these events determine your life today? By living in the past, you WILL actually recreate those events because all of your energy is focused on those negative occurrences. Remember that your past will only repeat itself if you dwell on the negatives experiences rather than using those as learning tools to better your current reality.

Nothing is permanent unless you allow it to be, so commit to creating a new future by coming to terms with your past and learning from those experiences, rather than allowing them to control you today.

5. You don’t acknowledge the fear.

Ironically, if you pretend the fear doesn’t exist, it will only become stronger. Denial is dangerous, because people try to distract themselves from their feelings or numb them somehow (often with drugs or alcohol) until they forget about them altogether. However, until you have addressed your feelings, they will only keep returning and become more difficult to manage each time.

Accept that you feel afraid, but don’t identify with that feeling. Instead, shift into a state of awareness where you just observe your body and mind without judgment. This makes the feeling less palpable, and the fear will slowly diminish once you have detached yourself from your mind and moved into your heart.

6. You fall victim to analysis paralysis.

This popular phrase simply means to become so baffled by what path to take that you don’t take any at all, feeling paralyzed with inaction. In order to overcome your fear, you need to break it down into smaller steps so it doesn’t seem like an enormous, impossible task. Write down on paper exactly how you can conquer your fears, and number each step so you have a clear outline of what to do. You can even set dates for each one to hold you accountable for your actions.

Whatever you do, just make sure to start in some direction rather than becoming wracked with fear. By building momentum, you will restore your confidence and defeat the big, ugly monster of fear one step at a time.

If you’re ready to get out of the fear trap, make this declaration in the comments below: I am healing on both the inside and the outside as I take on stronger, more positive belief systems.

10 Surprising Things That Can Hurt Your Relationship

March 24, 2015 by Power of Positivity

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you and your partner have been fighting a bit more than usual lately, you probably want to pinpoint the cause of the arguing so you can maintain a healthy relationship. While bumps in the road appear in every relationship from time to time, the reasons these obstacles keep popping up might not seem apparent at first glance.

To help you get to the root cause of any problems you might encounter in your relationship, look out for these often overlooked factors that can wreak havoc on even the most stable relationships.

10 Startling Things that May be Hurting Your Relationship

1. Too much time on social media.

Everywhere you go, people have their heads in their phones and their fingers steadily scrolling through text messages and news feeds on Twitter or Facebook. Of course, social media allows your relatives and close friends that may live far away to keep up with your life, but it should never become such an addiction that it affects your real-life relationships.

Count how many hours a day you spend liking pictures and statuses or watching YouTube videos; if you find that you talk to people more online than you do with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you should probably break up with social media for a while. Or, at least distance yourself from it so you can give attention to the people who truly care about you.

2. Eating too much junk food.

Yes, your weekly pizza nights might just make you and your partner lash out at each other more often. A study done in 2012 by Ohio State University actually found a strong correlation between foods high in saturated fats and the tendency of couples to argue about sensitive topics, such as money or annoying habits. In simple terms, eating high-fat, unhealthy foods puts a huge strain on the digestive system and causes an imbalance in brain chemistry, which can put you in a sour mood.

Eat higher vibrational foods, such as raw fruits and veggies, to enhance every aspect of your life, including your relationships.

3. Spending money frivolously.

Unfortunately, financial irresponsibility and incompatibility still tops the list of the most common reasons for divorce, at least in the U.S. Researchers have found that lack of money doesn’t usually cause the fighting and breakup – spending money recklessly actually pulls the trigger in most cases. No matter how much money you have, spending more than you make or have saved up will always lead to unfavorable situations down the road.

To have a healthier relationship, talk openly about money and make sure you both are on the same page when it comes to financial goals and spending habits.

4. Not asking enough questions.

If you talk about yourself all the time and don’t ever show interest in how your partner’s day went, what they like about their new job, or maybe something as simple as what they want for dinner, he or she will feel neglected and uncared for. Even in committed relationships, both people still need to show one another adequate attention and put in effort to keep things running smoothly.

5. Sweating the small stuff.

It’s fine to be conscientious, but it becomes a problem when you spend all your time worrying and not enough time living. Overreacting or fretting about every check you write, every time your partner leaves dirty clothes on the floor, or other trivial matters in life will only add unnecessary stress to the relationship.

Try to remain level-headed about problems and evaluate whether the situation merits a strong reaction or not. Most of the time, you will find that you can resolve the situation quite simply.

6. Not enough physical contact outside of the bedroom.

While sex is an important part of relationships, it should never take the place of sweet gestures like holding hands, a long embrace after work, a kiss on the forehead, or other non-sexual forms of touching. Cuddling also can strengthen a couple’s bond because it actually releases chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin that help people relax and feel more connected to one another.

Make sure to show appreciation and love to your partner outside of sex as well – it will make both of you feel closer to one another and further strengthen your bond.

7. Not knowing your own self-worth.

Before others can love you, you have to love yourself. You have to make a pact with yourself that you will always stay true to your own heart, and become the generator of your own happiness. Sometimes, people in relationships still feel a void deep within, and most of the time it stems from not cultivating enough self-love or knowing what really makes the person happy. You can still get to know yourself while in a relationship; just make sure you set aside some alone time so you can go within and discover your most authentic self.

8. Thinking your partner is perfect.

While you may put your partner on a pedestal, it’s important to remember that he or she is still human and will therefore slip up from time to time. Being more realistic about your partner and cutting them some slack when they make a mistake will eliminate added stress and make your guy or girl feel more at ease.

9. Not getting enough sleep.

When you get a poor night’s sleep or go to bed too late, it can be detrimental to relationships because you will become irritated much more easily. If you don’t prioritize sleep, other important areas of your life will suffer, and you will probably notice more frequent fights with your significant other.

Make sure to go to sleep at a decent hour, and if you have trouble staying asleep, meditate or take a relaxing hot bath before bed to wind down.

10. Competing.

Maybe you have a shared goal of wanting to lose thirty pounds before summer vacation, so you start hitting the gym and eating better together. Soon, though, you might notice the other person lifting heavier weights, so you try to one-up them, and eventually, it turns into a vicious game rather than a mutual goal.

Remain supportive and encourage the other person to do his or her best while also putting in your greatest effort – as long as you try your hardest and cheer your partner on, you’ll both come out on top!

3 Barriers to Forgiveness (And How to Overcome Them)

March 23, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Forgiving someone basically means releasing anger, resentment, or pain for the way the person treated you or a mistake they made. While holding a grudge only hurts one person in the end – yourself – so many of us hold onto past pain because we just can’t believe someone else could cause such deep wounds. We often seek revenge on the person for their wrongdoings, instead of trying to understand their intentions. Ultimately, forgiveness is the best resolution.

Of course, you shouldn’t automatically excuse their behavior, but forgiving them anyway could actually prevent a lot of mental and physical anguish. All of us struggle with forgiveness from time to time, but you can easily overcome the three most common hurdles people face when trying to forgive someone.

Here are the 3 most prevalent barriers to forgiveness, and ways you can overcome them:

1. Feeling unready to forgive.

Obviously, you have to feel mentally prepared and willing to understand the other person’s point of view before you can make a commitment to forgiving them. Maybe you fear that the person will only hurt you again in the future, or you just can’t fathom how this person could have such disregard for your feelings. So, how can you transcend the desire to ruminate on what the person did and instead attempt to forgive them?

First, take all the time you need to forgive the person. Maybe they caused such turmoil and destruction in your relationship that you want to step away for a while and let time heal the wounds. During your time of reflection, think about how severely the infraction sabotaged your relationship, and remember to put into perspective how long you have known or been in a relationship with this person. Do you want to throw away an important relationship because of one mishap? Maybe so, but you must make this choice on your own. However, your decision will determine the progression of the next part of this exercise.

Next, recall the exact offense you struggle to come to terms with and observe how you feel.

In creating this visualization, what emotions come to the surface?

How do you feel within your body? What are your thoughts about yourself and the other person? After you have a clear picture in your mind of the wrongdoing and how it made you feel, think about what you and the other person could have done differently. Could the story have unfolded another way? Also, maybe you could change your behavior or word choice next time in order to avoid this situation. Understand the lesson in the pain, and it will help you realize that maybe the person didn’t have bad intentions, or maybe they didn’t purposely want to cause you any harm. This brings us to the next point…

2. Shielding yourself from further harm.

Another major barrier to forgiveness deals with wanting to protect yourself from any subsequent pain by shutting yourself off so you don’t have to become a victim for any more “attacks.” Understandably, many people feel that a statement of forgiveness gives the other person the go-ahead to continue controlling, abusive, or hurtful behavior in the future. This prevents forgiveness in a lot of cases due to fear of getting hurt again. Now, if the other person can’t or won’t meet your needs, you have a right to speak up and either redefine your requirements in the relationship, or decide to end it altogether.

Forgiveness does not have to mean a surrender of control – you can still offer compassion while setting boundaries in your relationship. To set limits on certain behaviors, discuss openly with your partner or friend about how you feel and what needs to change in the future in order for you to feel happy and comfortable in the relationship. Set the terms of your limits, and give them a timeframe to demonstrate that they comprehend the significance of the limits and how these can benefit the relationship. If they haven’t adhered to your desires after a certain date, decide if you want this person to keep having a place in your life or not.

3. Fear of a tarnished social reputation.

Our society teaches that any sort of expression of vulnerability and understanding will make us weak and a prime target for people to take advantage of us. Many people avoid forgiving others because they feel it will knock them down a rung on the totem pole and ruin their image or social status. It also hurts the ego to forgive, because the ego becomes bolstered from a victim mentality; it gets diminished at any sign of love or compassion.

However, in order to forgive, you need to shift your focus from public opinion to your own outlook about yourself. Forgiving someone will only wound your self-image if you have a low opinion of yourself.

So, how can you strengthen your self-worth so that forgiveness does not affect how you see yourself?

First, realize that other people’s opinions of you should have no impact on how you view yourself. You need to develop an independent interpretation of your inner self that can stand strong in the face of scrutiny. To do this, imagine another person in your life who truly loves and admires you sitting across from you. Picture the person looking at you with understanding, love, acceptance, and adoration. Let these feelings permeate your being, and sit with them for a minute.

Now, picture yourself looking back at you, and projecting those same feelings outward. Try to imagine that you truly view yourself like that other person staring back at you does, and notice how that makes you feel inside. It may take practice, but you can cultivate an immense feeling of self-love with this exercise.

Final Thoughts on Forgiveness

Are you ready to knock down the barriers and forgive? Begin with the declaration in the comments below: “I forgive and release. I am enabling my walk toward a brighter future!”

5 Simple Statements to Get You Through a Bad Day

March 22, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Have you ever had those bad days? You know the kind! One where you just want to hide under your covers and forget about being an adult for a while.

Most of us have – laying in bed and removing ourselves from the madness just seems like too good of an offer to pass up sometimes. Even if life seems unbearable at times, though, you can still get through the day without choosing to give up on society.

Reassure yourself with these positive reminders when you feel defeated or overwhelmed. They will surely give you that motivation to keep going headstrong through the day:

5 Simple Statements to Get You Through a Bad Day

1. “You can do this.”

How many times do we talk ourselves out of doing something because we feel incapable or inadequate? Probably more times than we’d like to admit. Next time you hear that voice in your head telling you to just throw in the towel, challenge it with the counterargument that you can indeed accomplish the task at hand.

Remember that the only person stopping you from doing something is you, so don’t give in to a defeatist mentality. You can either empower yourself or tear yourself down, so choose to recognize your true power and believe in yourself. Your mind can easily play tricks on you, especially on a bad day. However, you have a choice in what thoughts you pay the most attention to. Repeat motivating thoughts like this one, and you will quickly go from unmotivated and drained to excited and confident.

2. “You are enough.”

Building on that last statement, don’t just tell yourself you can accomplish your goals, but remind yourself that you have everything you need within to do so. Become your most reliable motivator, and don’t ever listen to people who only point out your flaws. Make sure you put things into perspective and realize that other people’s opinions of you don’t determine your true value. In our modern world, people pass judgment left and right, but that doesn’t mean you have to believe what everyone else says about you.

Have confidence in yourself and remember that you came here as a complete, limitless spiritual being; you already possess all the qualities which you seek elsewhere. Who you are at this very moment in time is more than enough.

3. “Everything is happening at the perfect time.”

Impatience runs rampant in our culture today. The idea of instant gratification is heavily ingrained into people at a young age, and as a result, many of us don’t remember that every flower starts out as merely a seed. Even if you feel buried underneath mountains of obstacles, just think of yourself as a seed, slowly blossoming into a beautiful flower and bravely pushing through the darkness toward the sunlight.

The best things in life really do take time, so remember that when you feel frustrated or stuck. You have to plant those seeds and give them nourishment before they can reach their full potential. Although you may not realize it now, every challenge you face on your path is necessary for you to grow as a person. You can’t have success without failure, so keep this in mind next time you get discouraged by life.

4. “Just breathe.”

Even if everything seems to be going wrong, it never helps to become panicked and short of breath. It might help to excuse yourself from the situation, go outside, and just breathe some fresh air deep into your lungs. Everything seems more serious at the moment, but later, you will probably laugh at whatever happened that day, whether someone stole your bank card, you got a flat tire, or something else seemingly disastrous. Remember that as long as you have your health, you have everything, and that starts with taking long, controlled breaths rather than short, shallow ones that literally inhibit oxygen from reaching your cells.

If you can, close your eyes and meditate for a while as well. Deep breaths coupled with taking your mind elsewhere for a while can do wonders in relieving stress and helping you regain composure on those days where you just want to give up.

5. “Keep going.”

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

No matter what life throws at you, put on your game face and don’t let the situation get the best of you. As long as you don’t give up, your unbreakable spirit can overcome anything that you encounter along your journey. Nothing can defeat you unless you allow it, so just tell the universe that you don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. As long as you have breath in your body, you can make a difference, work toward your dreams, and rebuild your life.

Final Thoughts: Bid Bye-Bye to Bad Days

Remember, no one can stop a person who is determined to see something through. Even if you feel unsure of what direction to go in, just taking that first step will set all the other gears into action.

You came here during these times because you have a unique mission to accomplish and the strength to overcome any challenges you meet. We all came here to shake this world up and make our mark, so what message do you want to leave behind?

21 Rules Every Marriage Should Follow

March 22, 2015 by Power of Positivity

There are plenty of theories on what creates happy relationships, and how to have a happier marriage. You don’t have to look far to find a plethora of quotes by scientists, authors and many others who have advised us on how to create our very own happily ever after.

We have gathered some of the best bits of advice around to help you live your happiest life together…

21 Non-Negotiable Rules Every Marriage Should Follow

1 – Marriage Means You Must Find the Good

“A happy marriage doesn’t mean you have a perfect spouse or a perfect marriage. It simply means you’ve chosen to look beyond the imperfections in both.” ~ Fawn Weaver

It is easy to overlook the little annoyances of our partner when we’re focused on the good qualities that attracted us in the first place. Stay focused on the good.

2 – Find Your Happy

“Marriage doesn’t make you happy–you make your marriage happy.” ~ Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott

Do something daily that makes you happy and your relationships will benefit. You can’t be happy in a relationship, if you aren’t happy with yourself.

3 – Forgive the Imperfections

“A successful marriage isn’t the union of two perfect people. It’s that of two imperfect people who have learned the value of forgiveness and grace.” ~ Darlene Schacht

Forgiving is such an important ingredient in relationships. Holding on to things that make you angry keeps you in a negative space and prevent you from being your best self.

4 – Successful Marriage Begins With You

“Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.” ~ Barnett R. Brickner

Trying to change your partner will only backfire so focus on your contribution. Tackle only what you can control.

5 – Make Your Marriage a Priority

“Marriage is not a noun; it’s a verb. It isn’t something you get. It’s something you do. Its the way you love your partner every day.” ~ Barbara De Angelis

Stop looking at marriage as a thing and start thinking of it as part of you. Take care of it, nurture it and let it grow.

6 – Express Your Love Daily

“The greatest weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others how much they love them while they’re still alive.” ~ Orlando Battista

Be open with your expressions of love.

7 – Savor the Good

“Marriage is like a fine wine, if tended properly, it just gets better with age.” ~ Unknown

Appreciating and enjoying the good in your relationship attracts more good and your relationship becomes stronger and better.

8 – Make Self-Care a Priority

“One of the greatest gifts you can give your husband is your own wholeness.” ~ Stormie Omartian

You can’t take care of your relationships if you aren’t taking care of yourself. Make it a priority.

9 – Learn from the Past and Dream of the Future

“Marriage. It’s like a cultural hand-rail. It links folks to the past and guides them to the future.” ~ Diane Frolov

Find the lessons from the past and use them to help you shape your future.

10 – Marriage Means Learning Something New Every Day

“A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.” ~ Pearl Buck

Learn to love learning. Learning is the key to growth and evolution. And growth is the key to strong relationships.

11 – Live in the Now

“Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.” ~ Max Lucado

Stay focused on what really matters and don’t let life’s distractions keep you from living in the moment.

12 – Celebrate The Best of Each Other

“In marriage, when we honor and celebrate each other, we’re freed up to be the best people we can be.” ~ Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott

Make every day a celebration of the good in your relationship and in each other.

13 – Be Kind and Generous

“A good marriage is a contest of generosity.” ~ Diane Sawyer

Do something special every day. A little note, a surprise cup of coffee or a simple phone call just to say hi, will go a long way to showing your partner how much you value them.

14 – Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Married couples who love each other tell each other a thousand things without talking.” ~ Chinese Proverb

Make sure your actions show your love. Often times what you do and how you do it says more than expressing your love with words.

15 – Invest Your Time

“The more you invest in a marriage, the more valuable it becomes.” ~ Amy Grant

Nothing takes the place of spending time on the relationships that matter most.

16 – Give a Free Pass

“Make a list of ten of your spouse’s faults, which, for the sake of your marriage, you will always overlook. You can live with those ten.” ~ J & G Murphy

There are bound to be things that annoy you about your partner. Commit to accept them and let them go.

17 – It’s The Little Things

“It’s the little things that keep us together. Those little things will make me love you forever.” ~ Sonia Schaad

It’s isn’t the grand gestures that say love, it is all the little things we do every day.

18 – Be Supportive

“Lean on each other’s strengths. Forgive each other’s weaknesses.” ~ Unknown

It is easy to be in a relationship when things are going well but it’s the tough times that strengthens the bond. Remember to be there, be supportive and ask for help when you need it.

19 – Marriage Maintenance Matters

“A relationship is like a house. When a light bulb burns out you don’t go and buy a new house, you change the lightbulb.” ~ Unknown

So make sure your relationship gets your regular care. It becomes more costly if you wait too long.

20 – Think Freely

“If you want to know where your heart is, look to where your mind goes when it wanders.” ~ Unknown

Fostering your creative, thinking mind will keep you happy and thriving in your relationships.

21 – Be Committed

“Marriage succeeds only as lifetime commitment with no escape clauses.” ~ Dr. James Dobson

It’s simple really, you have to be in willing to go through the valleys as much as you are willing to go through the peaks. Put yourself all in and stay in it for the long haul.

Final Thoughts on the Rules for a Happy Marriage

These 21 rules for a happy marriage are a good reminder for all relationships, not just for marriages. What rule resonates with you most?

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Here are 5 Peaceful Ways to Manage Anger

1. Practice abdominal breathing.

2. Regain your composure, and talk out your feelings.

3. Visualize something that makes you happy.

4. Avoid criticizing or placing blame on others.

5. Find humor in the situation.

Here are 6 Things That Trap Us in Fear (And How to Get Un-Stuck)

1. You don’t know what you’re truly afraid of.

2. You keep the fear bottled up inside you.

3. You focus too much on the problems, and not enough on the problem-solving

4. You let your past experiences dictate your present and future.

5. You don’t acknowledge the fear.

6. You fall victim to analysis paralysis.

10 Startling Things that May be Hurting Your Relationship

1. Too much time on social media.

2. Eating too much junk food.

3. Spending money frivolously.

4. Not asking enough questions.

5. Sweating the small stuff.

6. Not enough physical contact outside of the bedroom.

7. Not knowing your own self-worth.

8. Thinking your partner is perfect.

9. Not getting enough sleep.

10. Competing.

Here are the 3 most prevalent barriers to forgiveness, and ways you can overcome them:

1. Feeling unready to forgive.

In creating this visualization, what emotions come to the surface?

2. Shielding yourself from further harm.

3. Fear of a tarnished social reputation.

So, how can you strengthen your self-worth so that forgiveness does not affect how you see yourself?

Final Thoughts on Forgiveness

5 Simple Statements to Get You Through a Bad Day

1. “You can do this.”

2. “You are enough.”

3. “Everything is happening at the perfect time.”

4. “Just breathe.”

5. “Keep going.”

Final Thoughts: Bid Bye-Bye to Bad Days

21 Non-Negotiable Rules Every Marriage Should Follow

1 – Marriage Means You Must Find the Good

2 – Find Your Happy

3 – Forgive the Imperfections

4 – Successful Marriage Begins With You

5 – Make Your Marriage a Priority

6 – Express Your Love Daily

7 – Savor the Good

8 – Make Self-Care a Priority

9 – Learn from the Past and Dream of the Future

10 – Marriage Means Learning Something New Every Day

11 – Live in the Now

12 – Celebrate The Best of Each Other

13 – Be Kind and Generous

14 – Actions Speak Louder Than Words

15 – Invest Your Time

16 – Give a Free Pass

17 – It’s The Little Things

18 – Be Supportive

19 – Marriage Maintenance Matters

20 – Think Freely

21 – Be Committed

Final Thoughts on the Rules for a Happy Marriage

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