San Francisco is a beautiful city in which to live. The weather is warm, the sun is often out, and the smell of the Pacific Ocean is lovely. There are also so many world-renowned attractions that residents and tourists can enjoy.
There are many married couples living in San Francisco, and perhaps you are one of them. Marriage is a major life event that is not easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding. You have chosen to settle down with this person for the rest of your life, and that kind of commitment takes a lot of work.
The goal in any marriage should be to continually grow closer together to form a strong and loving partnership that will last through the years. Here are a few tips to make the most of your marriage in the beautiful Bay Area.
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Encourage Separate Interests
When you first fell in love with your spouse, it may have been because of similarities between the two of you. The longer you stay married, the more like each other you can become. However, this does not mean that individuality is not still important. Though you are united by marriage, you are still two separate people. Your spouse may have interests that you cannot relate to, and vice versa. To a certain extent, this is a good thing. Pursuing individual interests allows you to have something that is your own. It is healthy to encourage these interests in your spouse and to ask for the same from them.
Plan and Protect Dates
No matter if you have been married for a year or for forty years, going on dates is critical to the health of a marriage. It can be easy when life gets chaotic to stop prioritizing your marriage, especially if you have kids to take care of and careers. Preserving time to spend with your spouse in a one-on-one setting will be vital for the ongoing growth of your relationship and help you love your spouse completely. If your schedule is jam-packed already, look ahead to the coming weeks and months to carve out some days for dates. Make sure they are not substituted for something else that is less important than the foundation of your marriage. Try one of the many restaurants or parks around the Bay Area because there is no shortage of great date spots.
Consider Couples Counseling
Many people have the misconception that counseling and therapy are only for people who are having issues. But couples therapy in San Francisco is a great way to foster a better marriage whether it is currently struggling or not. It is never a bad time to communicate openly with each other with the help of a third party. Plus, you could learn some crucial skills that will benefit the marriage for decades. The negative stigma that used to be attached to couples counseling is slowly diminishing, and even happy spouses are choosing to invest in therapy to strengthen their relationships.
Learn Each Other’s Love Languages
The concept of love languages has been around for a while. Essentially, there are five main ways that you can express and receive love: acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, physical touch, and receiving gifts. Generally, individuals have a few preferences for how they feel the most love from their partners. There are easy online love language quizzes you and your spouse can take to discover yours. Perhaps you know each other well enough to figure them out without the need for a quiz. Once you know the specific love languages of your partner, start acting on that knowledge by expressing your care for them in those specific ways.
Go On Adventures
Lastly, you must enjoy life together. Life is not just about your daily routines and staying in your comfort zone. It is about experiencing new things, and what better way to grow your marriage than going on new adventures with your spouse? You could schedule a private dance lesson to learn a new skill that will wow others at the next wedding. Go for a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley. Go explore the redwood forest to marvel at the size of these arboreal giants. Trying unique experiences and creating fun memories can make a marriage last forever.
Love is Not a Feeling, It’s a Verb
The story of romance that has been depicted in endless movies and novels is often based on intense feelings and a happy ending. Love is far more complicated than that. No marriage works without work. If you do not put in effort every day to actively love your spouse, then it will be difficult to grow closer.
Take advantage of the steps listed above to form a deeper connection with your loved one in the beautiful city of San Francisco.
Featured Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash
