We once took a flight on a Cessna plane after a retreat in northwestern Washington
state’s San Juan Islands. We began the flight nervous, having never flown in such a
small aircraft. As we soared over the beautiful Cascade Mountains and Puget
Sound, our fear dissolved.
During that flight, something the pilot said caught our attention: that the attitude
of the plane, not the altitude, was the single most important aspect of landing
safely. The plane’s attitude is related to the position of its nose as it comes in for a
landing. Too high or low, and you risk catastrophe.
The same is true for our attitudes in marriage (and other relationships). A negative
attitude, for example, impacts our ability to practice happiness. Can we build joyful
marriages if we don’t make happiness a habit? Absolutely not.
Think it’s time for an attitude check-up? We do. That’s because there’s never a bad
time to check in with your outlook.
OPTIMISM CHECK-UP
Do you look at life optimistically? We don’t mean that you should disconnect from
reality. That’s not the case at all. But we are suggesting that looking at life through
a positive lens could be beneficial not only for you, but for your marriage.
If you’re not a “glass half full” type of person, it’s time to practice. We’re more likely to
feel fulfilled in marriage and in life when we think positively. At any rate, being
intentionally optimistic can’t hurt!
ADAPTABILITY CHECK-UP
How adaptable are you? Having an adaptable attitude means you’re able to adjust
to changes in your environment or circumstances. Those can be small changes, or
they could be major ones.Not being adaptable means you’re vulnerable to bitterness and resentment. It also reveals that you might have a personal agenda. Being rigid makes it harder to solve everyday problems and maintain intimacy. In other words, failing to adapt well
could throw your marriage seriously off-course.
In chapter 10 of the book, Strengthen Your Marriage, you can find an exercise that
helps you rate your own adaptability. We suggest checking in with yourself from
time to time to ensure you’re staying open-minded and flexible. Your spouse will
thank you!
RESILIENCY CHECK-UP
When an inevitable crisis hits your life, how will you cope with it? The answer lies in
your resilience. Being resilient means maintaining a calm attitude when life gets
chaotic. It’s challenging to achieve, but definitely not impossible.
Crisis comes in many forms. Maybe your relationship gets rocky. Perhaps there are
issues with finances or employment you didn’t see coming. Or one of you might
develop a serious health problem that impacts your quality of life. Whatever comes
your way, having healthy ways to cope together will pay dividends.
For a deeper dive into optimism, adaptability, and resiliency, we invite you to check
out Strengthen Your Marriage. It’s a guidebook designed for married couples to
help–you guessed it–make your marriage stronger (and chapter 10 contains some
exercises and actionable steps you can take to improve your outlook). You can pick
up your copy here.
Devotional Provided by Dr. les and Leslie Parrot
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