The belief that your partner will be there for you when things go wrong lays a strong foundation for marital happiness. What creates this belief? Surprisingly, it\u2019s not only how your spouse behaves during a crisis, but also how he or she responds when something great happens, according to Shelly Gable, Ph.D., a psychology professor at UC Santa Barbara<\/p>\n
Got a promotion? Your spouse could respond actively or passively, constructively or destructively. The best would be active\/constructive: \u201cI know you\u2019ve worked so hard for this! Let\u2019s celebrate.\u201d\u009d The worst would be active\/destructive: \u201cWow, do you really think you can handle this extra responsibility?\u201d\u009d Somewhere in between are a \u201c[yawn] That\u2019s nice, dear,\u201d\u009d or worse, \u201cDid you pick up my dry cleaning?\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Celebrating each other\u2019s \u00c2\u00adtriumphs is a no-brainer for Atherton and Bert Drenth, a 58-year-old health care company owner and a 60-year-old service rep for hospital lab equipment in Guelph, \u00c2\u00adOntario. The couple agree that they have been \u201ceach other\u2019s best cheerleaders,\u201d\u009d throughout their marriage. When Bert gave Atherton the news, for example, that he\u2019d landed a great new job, she told him, \u201cAll your hard work, integrity, reliability, and attention to detail really paid off. I am so proud of you.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n