…what are the specific behaviors that get couples through the decades? For starters, long-lasting couples adopt a commitment to \u201cmarital permanency,\u201d\u009d says W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project and associate professor of sociology at the University of Virginia. \u201cThey don\u2019t see divorce as an option.\u201d\u009d That\u2019s vital given that even the happiest marriages aren\u2019t always happy.<\/p>\n
They also work hard to master effective communication \u201d\u201d not just talking, but listening. And such couples make generosity and kindness habitual, committing small acts of service, like cleaning up without being asked. They\u2019re willing to forgive their spouse\u2019s faults and failings. They treat each other with respect.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s one other thing long-married couples devote effort to: keeping their marriage interesting. Even after decades together they carve out time as a couple, take an interest in each other\u2019s passions and take steps to foster intimacy.<\/p>\n