Welcome to the All-Star Marriage Podcast, where we tackle the big questions in life, one episode at a time. It's time to lace up those shoes and get ready to run the marathon of marriage!

Sound of a starting gun being fired Here's a Dad joke for you: What do you call two birds in love? Tweethearts! Sound of footsteps on a jogging trail

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison

Many people struggle with the idea of "forever" when it comes to relationships. They feel like nobody can guarantee the future, and the concept of "till death do you part" is too abstract. They may also struggle with feeling unhappy or unfulfilled in their relationship.

Actress Kristen Bell and her husband, Dax Shepard, have been open about the struggles they've faced in their marriage. Despite being together for over a decade, they've had their fair share of ups and downs, including temporarily separating early on in their relationship. However, they both made the conscious decision to keep pushing forward and working on their marriage, even when it was hard. In an interview with People magazine, Dax said, "We go to couples therapy. We make sure that we're talking with respect to each other. When we sit down to have a disagreement, it's a disagreement, not an argument. We always try to laugh, and that's been really helpful."

Think of marriage like running a marathon. You have to pace yourself, stay hydrated, and keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when you're exhausted. You may stumble or fall, but the key is to get back up and keep going. You're in this together, and together you can achieve anything.

Sound of a whistle blowing One tip for keeping your marriage strong is to never stop learning about each other. Just like athletes constantly train and improve their skills, couples should make an effort to grow together and deepen their understanding of one another.

Old Wisdom

One classic technique for improving communication is to adopt a "mirroring" approach. This means repeating back what your partner said to you in your own words to ensure that you understood correctly and to show that you're actively listening.

Action Steps

Take some time to sit down together and discuss how you can incorporate these tips into your daily lives. Make it a priority to learn something new about each other every day and to actively practice good communication.

Answer: Giving up should never be the first option. It's important to work through your issues, seek help if necessary, and make a genuine effort to improve your relationship. If after trying everything, the relationship is still not fulfilling, couples could explore the possibility of an amicable separation.

Answer: One approach to addressing differences in financial management is to create a budget together. This will help you both to know where your money is going and can provide a basis for discussion and compromise. It's also important to be open and honest with each other about your concerns and priorities.

Answer: Remember that intimacy isn't just about physical touch. It's about emotional connection as well. Make an effort to show affection in small ways throughout the day, such as holding hands or sending a thoughtful text message. It's also important to set aside time for dedicated date nights and to keep trying new activities together.

Remember, marriage is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes dedication, effort, and commitment to keep going when things get tough. Use these tips, analogies, and stories of success to stay motivated and inspired on your journey. As always, thank you for tuning in to the All-Star Marriage Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know what you thought. And if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out via our website. Until next time! Thanks for listening.