In The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. John Gottman lists the 6 most common areas of marital conflict. He explains that, “even in very happy and stable marriages, these issues are perennial.” We will touch on these six hot spots, the task they each represent for a marriage, and offer practical advice for addressing the solvable disagreements they often trigger.
If you need to brush up on the difference between solvable and perpetual problems, Zach Brittle wrote about unsolvable problems last week. Remember that all couples argue, and that’s okay. We grow in our relationships by reconciling our differences. That's how we become more loving people and truly experience the fruits of marriage.
1. Work Stress
Via someecards.com
The Task: Make your marriage a place of peace.
The Solution: Acknowledge that at the end of a long, stressful day you may need time to yourselves to decompress before interacting with each other. If you bring your work stress home, it will sabotage your marriage. Build time to unwind into your daily schedule. Once you’re both feeling relatively composed, it’s time to come together and talk about each other’s day. Have a stress-reducing conversation.
