17 Expert Tips To Keep Your Marriage Strong And Blooming During Quarantine (2 of 3)

Your spouse’s feelings need validation

You may or may not be entirely in sync with your partner’s feelings of anger, frustration, or worry, but if you are genuinely interested in supporting them, it is critical that you empathize with them.

Validation is nothing but communicating that you totally understand the other person’s perspective and feelings. Saying things like “I get it” or “You have a right to be mad about this” can help a long way in showing your support and empathy to your partner.

Make some time for self-care

Being trapped inside the homes for countless days on end can be monotonous. It is, therefore, important to enjoy some self-care activities that you both find fun.

Self-care for couples should be the topmost priority, points out New York-based psychotherapist Yonason Witonsky who is also the founder of NYCSUPPORT. Even walking around the block together can make a big difference, so find ways to spend some quality time together.

Find out something new about your spouse

We all feel like we know almost everything about our spouse, though it is never the truth.

Thankfully, quarantine brings you abundant time to discover more and more about your spouse as there is no dearth of time.

You can even create some sort of a fun list of questions, says David Strah, a psychotherapist from Los Angeles. From things like the most embarrassing moments to foods that you’ll eat just to survive, there are numerous things you can know about your partner and make quarantine bearable.

Show appreciation to your spouse

Living together in the same place for months can make you neglect your spouse and start taking your spouse for granted. However, if you aim to strengthen your relationship, it is pertinent that you show appreciation and shower them with your love.

You can take turns saying things you appreciate about each other. It can be anything – from something that they did recently that made you feel happy to how they always make you laugh – showing appreciation is important in any relationship and is more so in these difficult times.

Set clear boundaries

While it may seem harsh, setting clear boundaries can help ensure your mental well-being and help your relationship in the long run.

At times, we feel guilty while setting boundaries. However, if we do not do so, we end up feeling bitter towards our spouse when they end up crossing that line, without even knowing they did. Jennifer Pepper further adds that it can be simple things like telling your spouse not to interrupt you when you have plugged in your earphones, or that you need some physical space for a while.