A good marriage is a mindful marriage. Today, I’m encouraging you to do something small to cultivate a spirit of mindfulness in your marriage. Step one? Read this Faith on the Couch post on what mindfulness is and how it can be a blessing to you life.
Step Two: Think about the way you react to your spouse. Choose one of those less pleasant reactions and ask yourself how you would like to respond instead. Assume that you would feel just as irritated, annoyed, or frustrated as ever, but you could choose to channel that negative emotion into a healthier, more compassionate response. What would that response be.
Step Three: Imagine yourself successfully doing this new thing. Ask God for the grace to follow through.
Step Four: Keep practicing. Mastering your reactions takes time, but the effort will result in a better you and a better marriage. Keep trying and refining your effort in prayer.
It’s ok to get irritated with your spouse sometimes, but being mindful about how we respond when we’re irritated can spell the difference between being a marriage master…or a marriage disaster.
——For the next 40 days, M2L will offer a tip-a-day for improving your marriage. For more help creating an exceptional marriage, contact the Pastoral Solutions Institute to learn more about Catholic tele-counseling services. 740-266-6461. And Check out more great marriage-building ideas in For Better…FOREVER! A Catholic Guide to Lifelong Marriage.