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What Are the Keys
to a Healthy Marriage?

Research shows that couples who are satisfied in their marriages are healthier overall, and better able to manage life stresses. But what are the ingredients needed for a marriage to be fulfilling and long-lasting?

Based on years of studies, counselors have clued into qualities that were found more often in happy marriages:

• Caring and affection—the wish to nurture a relationship, be romantic, and show appreciation
• Sense of commitment and teamwork—the desire to make a relationship work together whatever problems come up
• Sense of humor—a six-year study of 130 marriages found that in happy, secure couples, the wives and husbands used humor as a way to handle conflicts
• Acceptance—some qualities in partners may change, but some may not. Marriages work best when partners accept even the things they don’t like about each other.

Friendship, the ability to forgive, and communication—one of the most popular and important skills—also play a role. Couples who improve the communication in their marriage often feel more satisfied with their relationship. The key is for spouses to be clear about what they want and to listen carefully to each other.