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Lifestyle: How to Know If You're Ready for Marriage
By: Kate Lemley
Marriage is a big commitment, one that will take time, energy and lots of unconditional love. With all of the recent and ongoing celebrity divorces in the media, marriage is becoming seemingly easy to give up on or get out of. But, if you want your relationship to last longer than Kim Kardashian's, you will need to take a few important things into consideration. Here are a few things that will help you make the decision to spend your life with someone.
Picture Your Life - Try and picture your life down the line...10 to 20, even 50 years from now. Can you still see yourself with this person? Do they want the same things out of life that you do? It's so important to have discussions before marriage that revolve around family planning, jobs, goals, dreams, etc. Make sure you are both going to support each other and grow with each other no matter where life takes you.
Take Your Time - Making the decision to spend your life with someone is probably one of the biggest decisions you will make in your lifetime, so make sure and give it plenty of time and get to know each other thoroughly. If you find your partner pressuring you to get married, tell them what you need. If they are the right person for you, they will let you have time to make the wedding happen at the right time.
Don't Rely on Feelings Alone - When we first fall in love, there's an explosion of emotions and attachment and we have a hard time separating reality from falling in love. As relationships mature, these feelings will come and go, it won't always be easy. Make sure the two of you have a good foundation built on trust and know each other your tendencies inside and out before taking the leap.
Quality - Although having a super hot husband might be alluring, it shouldn't be what you solely focus your relationship on. Physical appearance won't last forever, so make sure there's more there than meets the eye. Good character should be what we look for in our potential spouses. Loyalty, honesty, respect and kindness can grow and become stronger over time, whereas looks cannot.
Work Out Your Problems - Personal baggage can play a huge role in failed marriages. Many times, people enter into a marriage with so much hurt and confusion from their past that will really hold them back in a long term relationship. Seek help to get these issues resolved or help you spouse find support to work it out before marriage becomes a serious option. Moving on from your past and being totally ready and open for a successful future with someone you love is so important.
Seek Other Opinions - Before you make the decision to get married, enlist the opinions of those you love - your parents, siblings, best friends - they can help you decide whether or not the person you love is the one you should spend your life with. Bring up your concerns and ask what they think and come into the whole situation objectively, because emotions can sometimes make us defensive. Always remember that these people love you and want the best for you. They are only trying to help you find the correct fit to spend your life with.
Whatever path you take on your journey to spend your life with someone, take the time to look at your compatibility with your partner and also look at your own life and make sure that you are, in fact, ready for marriage. Being in love is a wonderful thing and building a life with someone can be one of the greatest experiences.
