Balancing Time and Your #1 Relationship

Have you ever heard “Your Actions are Speaking Louder than Your Words”?  Often, we say our spouse is #1, but where we spend our time says another. 

Ask yourself, in what ways do I spend time with my spouse?  Do we enjoy in-depth conversations, daily activities that we accomplish together, personal growth or new adventures together?  It is said that couples need 15 hours a week together in order to continue growing together as a couple.  Of course, there are times that this gets out a Wack, but typically is this true for you?

I myself have just come from a hard stop, relinquishing my daily routine of Social Media, Recording on YouTube, Writing new podcast, Editing, Creating the Art work, getting sucked into more and more ways to stay on my laptop with 45 windows open, hopping from here to there causing me to feel exhausted, idealess, and too tired to welcome my spouse home, cook something great for dinner, and plan our evening together.

 I’ve loved creating “The Extraordinary Marriage Podcast”!  I have 20/20 hindsight with over 40 years of marriage, praying for my married kids, and recognizing what divides and what brings you together!!

I would never mean to neglect my own spouse, and he’s been very supportive and understanding. I feel blessed, but… there came a time to examine everything I’m doing and realize that I was off track.

Growth in your relationship must be planned on purpose and passionately practiced.  When a tree quits growing… the tree is dying.  No way around it.  **Know what is most important to you & your spouse.

Forcing myself to step away from the entanglement of too many activities, each one putting more demand on me but not really giving a return, has been freeing.  Each day I find the things that give me JOY once again.  They’re simple things like cleaning out the pantry, laundry room, painting a room, eating better, exercising, and even engaging in creating a bit of artwork, something that got me by in my younger years while staying home with my kids.

What is sucking the life from you?  If you’re not growing your relationship with your spouse, there may be arguments, home life has lost its JOY, your kids are rebelling, there’s no time to do the things that FILL YOUR CUP.  Only you can STOP and access where your time is going.  Is it invested in the things that are MOST Important to you?

We’re all given the same 24 hours a day.  I know you’ve got to earn a living, but what after that?  Take 30 minutes and purposely plan how you want your week to look.  Block out your work hours, a few special times with your spouse, and then ways that you will refill your cup.  When we have a full cup, we have more love and caring to share.  When we have a full cup, our thoughts are more hopeful, we have increased energy, and we are more passionate about life!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

Connie Durham, Atlanta GA                        ** FREE GIFT www.TheExtraordinaryMarriage.com/5NEEDS