Tips to Build the Transparency in Your Marriage
Insights:
Not that many years ago, being transparent in marriage was not the issue it is today. Certainly transparency was important in certain areas of counseling, such as when trust was broken by infidelity. The process of rebuilding trust took transparency.
In the past few years, since the advent of social media, the importance of transparency between a husband and a wife is not just an option but a necessity. Transparency is an essential part of a healthy and successful marriage. Here are some guidelines to help you grow in this area.
Open communication: Communication is key to building transparency in any marriage. It is important to openly discuss your thoughts, feelings, and concerns with your spouse, as well as to listen actively to their perspective.
Share information: Share information about your daily activities, such as work schedules, social plans, and personal goals. This can help create a sense of shared experience and understanding. It is another way of connecting.
Financial transparency: Financial transparency is crucial in a marriage. Make sure you are both open about your income, expenses, and debts, and that you create a joint budget together.
Respect privacy: While transparency is important, it is also important to respect each other's privacy in the areas of personal space, keeping confidential information confidential, and giving each other the freedom to pursue individual interests.
This does not include social media, texts and emails. As a marriage counselor I believe having access to each other's passwords, mobile devices, and computers is essential. The difference in the trust level of couples who give each other access to everything as opposed to those who lock their spouse out of everything is monumental. Couples who are open have more security in their marriage and with each other. If you are not currently sharing everything with each other, consider beginning that today.
Seek outside help if needed: If you and your spouse are struggling to establish transparency in any of the above areas, seek outside help from a Christian counselor who can provide guidance and support.
Remember, transparency is a two-way street. It requires honesty, openness, and mutual trust between a couple to create a strong and healthy marriage.
Things For You To Think About:
Rate the transparency in your marriage today on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being totally transparent.
Between the areas of communication, sharing information, finances, and privacy, which one needs the most work?
If you struggle with transparency with each other, I encourage you to see a Christian counselor. If you continue to ignore the issue, it will continue to chip away at your marriage.
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This Week’s Trivia Answer:
Jim Marshall.
Toward the end of a midseason game against the 49ers in 1964, Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall scooped up a Niners fumble and raced toward the end zone nearly 70 yards away--the wrong end zone. With both teams chasing him down the field, and his own teammates screaming from the sidelines, Marshall ran into the end zone untouched and tossed the ball out of bounds, resulting in a safety for San Francisco--and heaps of scrutiny from the media.