{"id":1687,"date":"2012-02-13T08:00:53","date_gmt":"2012-02-13T13:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/doinglifetogether\/?p=1687"},"modified":"2012-03-03T09:55:25","modified_gmt":"2012-03-03T14:55:25","slug":"what-makes-a-happy-couple-happy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2012\/02\/what-makes-a-happy-couple-happy.html","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Happy Couple Happy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A national survey \u00a0(the National Survey of Martial Strengths)<\/a> was conducted on 21,501 married couples from all 50 state, using the assessment tool called ENRICH.<\/p>\n

The purpose of the survey was to identify what is it is that happy couples do compared to unhappy couples.<\/p>\n

10 strengths were found in that survey that identified happy couples from unhappy couples. Here they are:<\/p>\n

1) Communication: Partners agree that they are satisfied with how they talk to each other.<\/p>\n

2) Couples agreed they were creative in how they handled differences.<\/p>\n

3) Closeness: Couples were in agreement about feeling close to each other.<\/p>\n

4) Couples felt their personalities were compatible.<\/p>\n

5) Conflict resolution: Couples agreed that they felt understood when discussing problems.<\/p>\n

6) Couples were satisfied with the level of affection and sexuality in the relationship.<\/p>\n

7) Couples agreed on leisure activities.<\/p>\n

8) Couples agreed on issues related to family and friends.<\/p>\n

9) Couples agreed on issues related to financial matters.<\/p>\n

10) Couples agreed on issues related to their spiritual beliefs.<\/p>\n

I hope you see that it is the agreement on these issues that boosts the happiness quotient for couples. It makes sense because couples who agree have less conflict and fight less.<\/p>\n

So take a look at your relationship and do a mental check on where you fall on these 10 items. Working towards agreement in these critical areas could lead to feeling like a happy couple! And happy couples have a much better chance of staying together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A national survey \u00a0(the National Survey of Martial Strengths) was conducted on 21,501 married couples from all 50 state, using the assessment tool called ENRICH. 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