Alex Blackwell, author of Saying Yes to Change, wrote a guest post at Project Happily After. The post is worth reading.

Blackwell offers a husband's perspective on how to save or improve a marriage by having an awareness of "five simple words." The words are respect, give, share, enjoy, and persist.

Alex Blackwell: "Share everything. From the last piece of cake to monitoring your children's homework, take an active, equal role in the marriage. Resentment begins with a soft whisper before growing into a more demonstrative outburst. To share a life, the things in it must be shared too."
Source: Alisa Bowman. "5 Words That Saved a Marriage." ProjectHappilyeverafter.com. 5/02/2012.

Take a few minutes today to read Blackwell's thoughts on how to save a marriage.

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There's another survey out about marriage and finances, and the result is really no surprise. Couples telling lies to one another about money is one of the main reasons marriages end.

Martin Wolk: "Our survey makes it clear that money can be a huge stumbling block for relationships if couples don't take the time to talk about it frankly. It's one thing to fib about a new pair of shoes, but keeping serious money secrets from one another -- about problems with debt or spending -- can be a recipe for disaster."
Source: Chad Brooks. "Almost Half of Spouses Cheat ... With Money." BusinessNewsDaily.com. 4/25/2012.

Katherine Bindley: "Hiding purchases in the back of the closet and withdrawing money from joint bank accounts without telling their partners were just a few of the ways couples said they'd fibbed about finances. Women, it turns out, were the worse offenders, out-lying the men 56 percent to 37 percent, according to TODAY.com. Source: Katherine Bindley. "Nearly Half of Couples Lie About Money and Finances, Survey Finds." HuffingtonPost.com. 4/26/2012.

Lucy Danziger: "To have a successful relationship, you need to have trust, and hiding money secrets is a huge way to break that confidence. Open up about past debts, then lay some ground rules for the future and have a mutual agreement on your expenses."
Source: Chad Brooks. "Almost Half of Spouses Cheat ... With Money." BusinessNewsDaily.com. 4/25/2012.

Marriage Polls About Finances

Do you have a secret stash of money?

Do finances create conflict in your marriage?

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Comments about individuals believing they are marrying their soul mates are often mentioned in press releases and stories about long lasting marriages. Soul mate movie themes are popular, too.

We heard engaged couples on Engaged Encounter Weekends talking about how they found their soul mates. Advertisements for match making services try to sell the idea that you can find your soul mate by taking their tests.

If you believe in the idea of only one soul mate for each person, you may assume that a partnership of two soul mates should be able to handle challenging times easily. That may not always be the case.

Douglas LaBier, Ph.D., describes a soul mate as an "idealized lover", an "unattainable ideal", and a "flawed pursuit". But he also believes that by having a mature love relationship with openness, letting go of control, and making time for each other, you can have a soul mate experience with your spouse.

"I think there's a way to grow and develop the soul mate experience with your partner. It's attainable in reality, but only when it's part of mature adult love. That is, it emerges from a sustainable adult relationship -- a blend of erotic desire, friendship, and respect and support of each other's growth and development as independent, different human beings."
Source: Douglas LaBier, Ph.D. "Your Soul Mate Fantasy: How to Make It A Reality." PsychologyToday.com. 4/19/2010.

Poll:
     Did you marry your soul mate? Vote! ~ View Results

If you are looking for a way to have a date each week with your spouse, consider meeting for lunch. Lunch dates generally aren't as expensive as going out to dinner, and if your kids are in school, getting together at lunch can solve the problem of having to pay for a baby sitter.

Poll: How Often Do You and Your Spouse Date One Another? Vote