What can make a marriage work is surprisingly simple. Happily married couples aren't smarter, richer, or more psychologically astute than others. But in their day-to-day lives, they have hit upon a dynamic that keeps their negative thoughts and feelings about each other (which all couples have) from overwhelming their positive ones.
Rather than creating a climate of disagreement and resistance, they embrace each other's needs. When addressing a partner's request, their motto tends to be a helpful "Yes, and ..." rather than "Yes, but ..." This positive attitude not only allows them to maintain but also to increase the sense of romance, play, fun, adventure, and learning together that are at the heart of any long-lasting love affair. They have what I call an emotionally intelligent marriage.
Emotional intelligence has become widely recognized as an important predictor of a child’s success later in life. The more in touch with feelings and the better able a child is to understand and get along with others, the sunnier that child's future, whatever his or her academic IQ. The same is true for spouses. The more emotionally intelligent a couple, the better able they are to understand, honor, and respect each other and their marriage - the more likely that they will indeed live happily ever after.
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Category(s):Relationships & Marriage
Source material from Mind Body Green
