10. Accept Responsibility for Your Own Actions

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Blaming a spouse for your own lack of self-control is the easy way out from taking responsibility when something goes wrong. Don’t be embarrassed by your mistakes, you’re only human!

9. You Don’t Always Have to Say What You Are Thinking Right Away

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It’s good to hold your tongue at times. I’ve paused before saying what was on my mind and ultimately saved myself by this action. Lashing out with a harsh reply ends up hurting you and your spouse most of the time. If you’re angry, try taking a deep breath and thinking about what you were about to say. Sometimes this opens your eyes to just how hurtful your statement might have been.

8. Remember to Forgive

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I know some things are very hard to forgive a person for, but being able to go to bed without holding a grudge will help you sleep a lot more soundly. Granted, there are some situations that take a long time to get over. I’m merely referring to the little things in life, such as maybe the trash didn’t get taken out in time for the garbage truck to collect and it wasn’t your day to manage this task. This doesn’t mean you have to remind your spouse for the next week that the build-up of smelly trash isn’t your fault. Try to take tings in stride and realize that last-minute schedule changes are a fact of life.

7. Be Kind

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Kindness goes a long way and will definitely come back to you the more you give. What person doesn’t like being spoken kindly too? Showing respect is a form of kindness that I’ve slowly seen slipping away between many couples. Being disrespectful of one another’s feelings, personal space, and property isn’t a kind thing to do at all. Be nice to your spouse and the favor will most likely be returned.

6. Help when You Can

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There are surely little things you can help your spouse with. Sometimes hanging out and offering to keep him/her company is all the help needed. You don’t necessarily have to lend a physical helping hand for your services to be considered useful.

5. Offer Your Support

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Support comes in many forms. Going to a business function to ward off boredom is always appreciated. Verbal support behind an idea your spouse might have can be the little bit of boost necessary to help set the idea in motion. You can even offer support with a sweet note tucked into a sack lunch, just to let your spouse know how much you appreciate him/her.

4. Be a Good Listener

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I don’t come across many good listeners nowadays. It seems too many people are trying to voice their opinions and don’t care about what you have to say. Don’t be one of these people, especially to your spouse. This is your friend and comrade in life, so what he/she has to say should be important enough for you to zip it and listen for a while. Right? Sometimes being a good listener can help your spouse work out a difficult problem and result in a much brighter day.

3. Make Your Spouse Laugh at Least Once a Day

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I’m married to a comedian, so he definitely fulfills this part of being a good spouse on a regular basis. I find it difficult to make him laugh as hard as he makes me, but I do share all the laughable moments I can get my hands on.

2. Be Open-minded

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Being an open-minded individual makes you look at things in a whole new light. There are different angles to each argument and having an open mind will help you to not jump to conclusions. I think being open-minded also goes hand-in-hand with giving people the benefit of the doubt.

1. Talk to Each Other

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Communication will solve most problems, as long as you both take turns talking and really listen to what the other person has to say. Even small talk keeps the lines of communication open between spouses. Incessant chatting can get annoying sometimes, but small bits of interesting facts about the day’s events can be quite pleasant.

I hope these 10 tips on being a better spouse prove to be useful for you or that you can find someone who will benefit from at least some of them. I enjoy being married to my husband and like life to be as pleasant as possible. Life really is too short and I want to make the most of it with my husband. What tips do you have on being a better spouse?

Top Photo Credit: Martin LaBar