Marriage takes a lot of hard work. But what many people don't realize is that they might be working on the wrong things. Or even working on the right things in the wrong way!

You feel like you've tried everything. Your spouse isn't making an effort, you're exhausted. You feel like giving up, or there's so much hurt that's taken place between you and your spouse.

Having counseled and coached hundreds of couples over the past several years as a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified relationship coach, and from what I've experienced as a husband of more than three decades, I have narrowed down some habits to these five that I believe when practice make your marriage happier, but also will have a lasting effect on your marriage.

Now, we’ll go over some of those habits below so that you can get a better idea of what to practice to keep your marriage last.

1. Forgiveness Habit

Forgiveness is never easy. It takes time, and it takes work, and it takes a lot of courage. You may have been in a situation where your spouse has done some things that you find very hard to forgive. But forgiveness can be one of the most powerful habits in your relationship or marriage.

If you are able to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply, not only will you feel better about yourself but your relationship will also become stronger than ever before.

You can't change what happened in the past, but you can move forward from it by forgiving someone whether it's a sibling, parent, friend, coworker, spouse, or others for what happened—and then making different choices going forward so that these mistakes won’t happen again in the future.

2. Dating Habit

Dating doesn't have to be anything as extravagant. It can be as simple as going out for coffee or having a picnic in the park. If you don't feel like going out, then invite each other over for dinner or watch a movie together at home.

The point is, to spend quality time together where you are away from everything, the hustle, bustle, activities of the day, kids, and other distractions so that you can focus just on each other. This can help prevent feelings of loneliness and also help increase your intimacy with each other.

3. Listening Habit

If you're going to have a happier marriage and lasting marriage, you've got to practice listening habits.

Active listening is a skill that can help you have a happier marriage that lasts. It's important to talk to each other and be open to hearing your partner's point of view. When practicing active listening, forces you to be patient, present, kind, and empathetic.

The great thing about active listening is that it helps couples feel heard, which makes them feel more connected and understood. It also clears up any confusion or miscommunication between partners before it becomes an issue.

4. Serving/Sharing Habit

There are countless ways to show the people in your life that they matter to you and make them feel warm, important, and special. Serving and sharing are habits that can strengthen your relationships or marriage.

We all have different love languages towards people and our spouses but these are the five love languages that lead to a happier marriage.

1. Words of Affirmation: This is letting each other know how much you care for them. You can do this by giving compliments, saying nice things about your partner, and appreciating their efforts.

2. Quality Time: It's all about spending time with your spouse without distractions, like dating with a coffee, or watching movies. This shows how much you truly care for one another without anything else getting in the way.

3. Giving Gifts: Giving gifts is another way we serve one another: by giving someone something we think will make them happy or bring pleasure into their life

4. Serving: These are actions that show your partner that you're thinking about them throughout the day or week such as doing their laundry or preparing a meal after them when they've been sick (if they're not able to do so themselves).

5. Physical touch: This is a very powerful way to express love and affection. It communicates that we care about our partner, and it conveys an emotional message of safety, comfort, intimacy, and connection.

5. Gratitude/Appreciation Habit

I've seen that the couples who have the longest marriages are those who learn to say thank you for their spouse's contributions.

When a husband or wife does something nice for their partner, it's easy for them to take it for granted or not appreciate it as much as they should. They may even think, "I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

In other words, there is a tendency for us to take each other for granted. But when we don't recognize and appreciate what our spouse does for us, we miss out on one of life's greatest blessings — having someone in our lives who cares about us enough to do things that are difficult or even inconvenient for themselves but make life better for us.

One way that I've found to show my wife that I'm grateful for her is to say thank you to her every time she does something nice or special for me. It doesn't have to be every single time, but if we're going out on a date together or if she's just made dinner for me, I do my best to say "thank you”.

This habit has really made a difference in our relationship because it lets her know that I'm aware of how much effort she puts into making me happy and that I really appreciate all of the little things that she does for me, my family, and for our marriage.

Final Thoughts

In summary, daily habits that make your marriage happier and lasting may be a challenge for you to fulfill. But when practiced it will help to build a stronger lasting relationship where your marriage will have the opportunity to grow and blossom like a beautiful flower. In the end, all the rewards are well worth it!

If you are more of an audio person, you can listen to this detailed podcast on how to Practice 5 Habits That Lead To Happier Marriage That Lasts

Are you already practicing these 5 Habits that Lead to a Happier Marriage that lasts? Share your thoughts and let us know in the comment section on the platform on which you listen to this show.

Moreover, If you haven't listened to some of our podcasts, you can visit this page for updates and some helpful tips for a Happier Marriage.