Cheers, I have been happily married for a year! But for some couples, that's nothing to shout about especially those who have been married for over a decade. With only one year under my belt, I decided to coax out a secret or two from happily married couples to hear their take on what makes a happy marriage.
Don’t Forget Who You Are
“I love my weekly yoga and dancing lessons as it is how I stay true to who I am, even in my marriage. My husband goes on photography tours locally with his buddies. We agreed to continue pursing our interests together as well as separately. This creates so many more stories to tell each other!” Jillian, married for 10 years. Focus on Harmony
“No matter what the decision I need to make, I would first ask myself, 'Will this create harmony or discord in our little family?' Both of us work towards this goal whenever we need to make decisions, and it has worked wonderfully for us all these years.”
-Francis, married for 15 years Stay Connected
“I travel for business regularly, and, more often than I'd prefer, I find myself leaving for work even before my three kids and husband wake up. But we always stay connected throughout the day, texting each other, sending funny photos of ourselves or even ringing each other during lunch for a quick chat to say we miss each other.''
- Veronica, married for 21 years Share Secrets
“William and I have inside jokes that nobody else knows about. When we involuntarily exchange knowing looks or giggles at social outings, our friends' clueless looks only make things seem a hundred times funnier.”
- Ashlynne, married for 10 years Take Stress Out of Your Life
“Between screaming babies and nagging bosses, our lives can quickly turn into a daily cycle of stress. In Singapore, it is imperative to constantly push yourself up the corporate ladder to the extent that we sometimes neglect spending time with each other. My wife and I set aside one vacation week each year for each other: no kids, no parents, no work.”
-Paul, married for 12 years Have Fun Together
“Although we have kids and we've been married for so long, we come up with different, fun ideas for every Sunday. Last Sunday, we went to the zoo with our kids. This Sunday, we are planning a picnic at the Botanic Gardens.”
-Ronny, married for 13 years Meet Secretly
“With my in-laws and our children living together with us, it can be hard to create any kind of romantic atmosphere at home. So instead, we would create fake appointments or do overtime once a week, so that we get to have our own secret rendezvous.”
- Aimee, married for 18 years Be Adventurous
“When I say, 'Be adventurous,' I'm definitely not referring to outdoor activities. What I mean is, in the bedroom, behind closed doors! Otherwise, 50 Shades of Grey would not have so many middle-aged housewives as its loyal fans!”
-Stacy, married for 10 years
Little Gestures
“I love the little notes that Jasmine leaves all over the place. She would leave little love notes or gentle reminders in places that I don't expect—in my shoes, in between my project files or in my laptop. She did that while we were dating, and she is still doing it now after so many years of being together.” Robin, married for 13 years
Written by Kally Tay
Edited by Priscilla
* Kally Tay is a writer who used to be a bride from Annabel Law Productions and a friendship blossomed with Bel after her wedding. She loves to share her knowledge of being a mum and her corporate experiences though her blog at Middle Me.
