HAPPILY MARRIED – What’s the Secret?

1. When they met they felt immediately _____ _____ with each other.

Early on there is a strong physical and/or emotional attraction – they feel a sweeping sense of connection.

2. Happy couples often experience themselves as being the ______ and _____________. Similar backgrounds but each wants to embrace the other’s differentness; each wanted to be more like the other.

3. Happy couples establish and follow daily __________________. This promotes confidence and trust.

4. Happy couples usually describe their mate as their _______ __________. They like each other very much, above all others. They spent a lot of time together.

5. Happy couples share life _________. They work together to make the dream come true.

6. Happy couples don’t hold a __________. High capacity to resolve conflict and move on.

7. Happy couples expect each other to do their _________. They believe in their partner.

8. Happy couples _______ with the changes. People do change and good marriages change for their partner and for the better.

9. Happy couples agree to have or not to have ________________. They usually share a dream of creating a family.

10. Happy couples understand the importance of ________ & ___________. Friendship was more important than sex but sex was the strong force binding them together through the years.

11. Happy couples see each others _________ self. They see each other clearly as they are but also what they can become.

12. Happy couples strongly believe in and practice ___________. Fidelity was simply expected and an open marriage was not appealing to happily married couples.

13. Happily married couples share a complete absence of __________ struggle. Considered each other to be equal and their money, especially, was always “theirs”, not ‘mine”.

14. Happy couples _____________ each other in all areas. Always support each other’s dreams, even when they don’t agree or understand.

15. Happy couples feel a great deal of ___________ in each other even when one thinks the other is wrong. May not think they are making the right choice but they give their support.

ESCENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Marriage is #_____, even over the kids.

2. Fidelity.

3. Commitment.

4. Unselfishness.

5. _____ spent together.

6. Talk & listen.

7. Touching.

8. Be _________about mate & marriage.