Is Your Marriage Worth Saving?

If you feel stuck and blue in your marriage, you can take action to make it better. Dr. Lawrence Birnbach and Dr. Beverly Hyman, co-authors of How to Know If It's Time to Go: A 10 Step Reality Test for Your Marriage, recommend looking closely at the nine areas that couples must agree on:
 
• money
• sex
• religion
• parenting
• relationships with extended family
• use of drugs and alcohol
• gender roles and household responsibilities
• career issues
• how you spend free time
 
"Pick the least controversial [trouble spot], not the toughest, and ask your mate how he feels about it," they advise. Then see if the two of you can take one small step. For example, to improve the quality of your free time, invite your partner out on a date.
 
If your partner is reluctant, Birnbach and Hyman stress the importance of taking action on your own—in this case, perhaps inviting a friend instead. "Don't accept victimhood," they urge. "You're too valuable for that."
 
Read the entire blog post on this topic.