Is it cold in here or is it just me?

Feeling a little chilly?

We joke about it, but it is often true.  When we begin marriage, our passion and dedication ignite a fire between us, but that fire fades, and if we're not careful, we can let things cool to the point where they're almost unbearable.  

How do I avoid getting sick and tired?

All it takes is a little research into marriage studies to find out the cold hard facts:  people are generally healthier if they're married, even if their marriage is less than ideal.  "A stable marriage correspond[s] with happiness, health, prosperity, and the well-being of offspring and communities." (Successful Marriages and Families p. 71).

With the advent of increasing numbers of social media posts, blogs and feeds, we have no shortage of comments on the subject of marriage.  The problem is that most of it is just opinion, but as the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  It's the outspoken, outlandish, unfounded outbursts of the minority that tell the majority just how they're doing.  The reality is that married couples thrive and are clearly more healthy than their unmarried counterparts.  The chance for mental disorders decreases, and social and emotional support go up.  They have more satisfying sex lives, and despite the tabloid titles in the checkout line, most married couples remain faithful to one another.

So stop listening.  The mind believes what you tell it.  Tell it what you want it to hear.

Get a little more exercise.

When you start moving and doing, you generate heat.  So do you want to warm things up?  Start doing something!  Open her door. Make him a homemade meal. Kiss each other.  Say "I love you." What are you doing to improve your marriage?  Invest in your marriage.  I promise that if you invest consistently, you'll appreciate the return and things will start to get a little warmer.