Two Words That Will Improve Your Marriage

Every morning for the past 28 years of our marriage, Bob has made coffee for us. It all started when we were dating. Bob took me camping on the coast of Santa Barbara in California. I’ll never forget waking up in a tent, listening to the sound of ocean waves. It was magical. He built a campfire to cook breakfast and used a tin percolator to make coffee.I remember telling him it was the best cup of coffee I'd ever had. That must have stuck with him since he's made coffee ever since.Though that was many moons ago, I still thank him every day for making our morning coffee. It may seem like a "little thing," but his effort and my appreciation is something that means a lot to both of us. I actually figured that by this time he has made me over 10,000 cups of coffee. That's 10,000 times I've said thank you for the same thing. And 10,000 times Bob's felt appreciated for the same small act of love.Gratitude for the small things that couples can easily overlook and take for granted means a lot. It may seem trivial but each morning when I say the two words, "thank you" and Bob smiles, it just feels good.A 2015 study at the University of Georgia Center for Family Research, published in the journal Personal Relationships, found that "spousal expression of gratitude was the most significant predictor of marital quality." It also found that "high levels of spousal gratitude expressions protected men's and women's divorce proneness as well as women's marital commitment from the negative effects of poor communication during conflict.'Click here to read more about the study and how gratitude improves relationships. It just shows that the two small words, Thank You, can make a big difference.Thank you for being part of our relationship community! We appreciate you!We are available to work with you and/or your partner. You can call us at 410-363-2825 or email. We would be delighted to help.