Marriage Advice

Advice I give to someone getting married, based on 20+ years of marriage:

1. Be best friends
2. Say "I Love You" a couple of times a day
3. Be okay with each other's differences
4. Be Thoughtful
5. Put the other person's needs above your own
6. Work hard at your marriage...marriage is hard work
7. Talk a lot...communicate
8. Really listen
9. Say what is on your mind
10. Don't take things personally
11. Only spend what you have in cash...no credit cards
12. Don't have debt
13. Address a problem immediately
14. Move on from things...don't dwell
15. Take responsibility for your actions
16. Say "I'm Sorry"
17. Admit when you are wrong
18. Be fair
19. Be kind
20. Show your love in actions (notes, gifts, special things)
21. Don't blame
22. Don't criticize
23. Don't speak bad about your spouse
24. Build them up
25. Show appreciation
26. Thank them often
27. Spend time together...absence does not make the heart grow fonder, it makes the heart go wander
28. Check in with the relationship daily
29. Have fun
30. Compliment them
31. Respect each other
32. Reaffirm each other
33. Make sure you "heard' correctly...repeat what you thought you heard
34. Support each other
35. Accept each other
36. Laugh...laugh...laugh--this is the most important