5 Ways You Can Improve Your Marriage in 2015

What were the first thoughts you had when you read that title? Be honest:

• “My marriage is beyond improving.”
• “My marriage is going pretty good. Why would I need to seek improvement?”
• “I want to know how, but I’m afraid of the steps that I need to take.” 
• “[Your answer].”

Let’s be real honest men, the first thoughts you had about areas that you would like to improve in your marriage are exactly where you need to take action.

Let’s “Husband Up!” and keep reading.

Guys, the state of your marriage is critically important to the state of your manhood. If your marriage is not going well, there’s a very good chance that many other parts of your life are rough as well. Your work and your relationships at work will be affected. It will effect your overall mood and demeanor. You’ll naturally let it effect your general attitude and anyone that comes into contact with you will get some kickback from your negative emotions in one way or another.

You need to get your marriage back to good, so that you can get everything else back to good.

No matter what your answer was at the top of the post, I want to challenge you with some ways to improve your marriage this year. It doesn’t matter if you think your marriage is going well or if you know you need to make some repairs. Every year, a husband needs to review the state of his marriage and take the necessary steps to keep it on track or get it back on track. This is part of a husband’s leadership and responsibility. It is all about initiation and consistency.

How can you really improve your marriage this year? Here are 5 areas to consider:

1. Your personal relationship with Jesus. This is the first area, because it is the your most important part of your marriage. You need to make sure you are doing everything you can do to stay consistent in your walk with Christ. Here are 3 articles you need to read to help you through this process and in building a real plan for growth this new year.

2. Your personal dedication toward maturity. The second area is all about your personal dedication towards growing in maturity every day. A man needs to have purpose in his life to feel important and a personal dedication to growing in maturity will help establish that in a man. It might involve keeping a journal, attending or running a men’s class or helping out those in need. Here are 3 articles to help you maintain your personal dedication towards maturity in the new year.

3. Your personal dedication toward understanding your wife’s needs. The third area involves getting and maintaining a good understanding of your wife’s needs. What did you learn last year about your wife that you should apply more often this year? Take it to another level and write down those things so that you can refresh yourself every month. Make her needs a priority and you’ll see how more willing she is to meet your needs. Here are 3 articles that will help you better meet the needs of your wife.

4. Your personal willingness to learn more about marriage. The fourth area has become a critical part of my wife and I both growing in our marriage. Last year we attended a marriage conference and went through a marriage class with other couples our age. A little bit of time and money will go a long way in making sure your marriage gets stronger each year. I encourage you to be open and willing in attending a marriage conference or joining a small group marriage class this year. Here are 3 articles that will help you learn more about your marriage.

5. Your personal ability to communicate honestly with your wife. The last area is all about communication and your willingness to share what’s on your heart. How did your communication go last year? Were you able to share your needs or desires? If you’re communication has been struggling, then I encourage you to seek ways to improve this area of your marriage. Set aside the pride and talk to your pastor about your issues.

Seek out another couple with a strong marriage and find out what tools they are using to better communicate. Or, find the courage to pray with your wife. Prayer will open the door to powerful communication. Here are 3 articles to help you better communicate with your wife this year!

Let’s strive to lead a stronger marriage this year. What plans to do you have to improve your marriage in 2015?

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. Manturity.com features new weekly blog posts, daily social-media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit manturity.com.