MARRIAGE
You Don’t Have to Be Miserable to Make Your Wife Happy
You can’t buy those new sneakers because she thinks fancy shoes are a waste of money.
You can’t join the guys on a night out because she hates it when you drink.
And you can’t have Indian food for dinner because she doesn’t like the smell of curry paste.
You’ve learned to accept all these things because you want to make your wife happy. That’s what everybody says a successful marriage needs, right? A happy wife for a happy life.
But does this equation take into account the welfare and happiness of the husband? Or is your misery simply the price to pay for the loving family you’ve always wanted?
A ‘Give and Take’ Relationship
There’s nothing wrong with your wife wanting to budget, worrying about your health, and having food preferences.
Sometimes, you’re going to have to accommodate not just her priorities but also her tastes. You will be asked to make sacrifices because that’s part of being married to someone.
But making decisions according to what will make your wife happy isn’t something you constantly need to do. Sometimes, you have to take into account what will make you happy too.
Because the best long-term and committed relationships are those built on the principle of give and take. There are days when you give and she takes, and there are times when you take and she gives.
Your life together has to be a balancing act that will consider both scenarios, or it won’t be much of a partnership at all.
It’s great being a husband who follows rules to keep your wife happy, but it must never come at the expense of your own happiness.
Your Own Happiness Will Make Your Wife Happy
What some people who like to think they’re experts on love and marriage fail to consider is that a good way to make your wife happy is to be happy yourself.
After all, isn’t this the same woman who loves you and chose to spend the rest of her life with you? Surely your happiness will contribute greatly to hers.
Marriages that only consider the perspective and opinion of one partner are those that are doomed to fail.
If you picked a woman whose love for you is genuine, then you don’t have to forsake your wants and needs just to keep her satisfied. She will meet you halfway and even make her own sacrifices for your benefit — but those sacrifices should also not come at the permanent expense of her health and happiness. That’s the give-and-take part.
Happy Spouse, Happy House
A true happy marriage has both husband and wife taking care of each other and making great efforts to express their love.
Your wife isn’t obligated to serve you because traditional gender roles dictate that it’s all a married woman is good for. In turn, you don’t have to make your wife happy every second of every day, even when it makes you miserable.
All you have to do is honor your vows and do right by each other.
Yes, there is love in sacrifice, and taking care of someone you love won’t always be easy. But just as it’s your job to attend to your wife, it’s also her duty to take care of you.