In today’s global society it is a depressing fact that the rate of divorce has dramatically increased. The stress and strain of married life are the main reasons a couple will head for the divorce court. They are unwilling to ebb and flow with those difficulties. As of right now, over two million couples seek a divorce every year. That’s more than five thousand each and every day! How sad, to realize that a lot of these divorces could have been prevented if they had only managed to communicate with each other. Communication is key, but let us not forget the other key elements that make up a happy relationship; affection, trust, romance, attraction and compassion. Maintaining an even balance in your marriage isn’t easy, but if divorce is not the answer and you want to save your marriage then it’s something you really need to consider.

No relationship goes without arguments. It’s the natural evolution of any relationship. Discovering each other’s individuality is what happens when a couple starts living together. Day to day life will expose each person’s idiosyncrasies causing differences and misunderstandings Ideally, they would come together and openly and honestly discuss their issues, coming to a peacefully and acceptable compromise. Unfortunately, life is never always so we are left to deal with things the best we can.

Imagine if you can, that you had one week to save your marriage? Could you do it? Here are some helpful tips that can help save your marriage:

1. Do whatever you can to avoid asking any questions that would incite a negative response. No one wants to be put on the defensive or made to feel badly about themselves. It’s an awful feeling. Put yourself in their shoes, would you want them to do this to you? So, why would you want to do that to the one person you vowed to love and cherish till death do you part? Nothing good can ever come from this. Each time trust becomes an issue in the relationship, one partner will start to examine every move their significant other makes. Where are they? What are they doing? Why are they doing that? What does it mean?

You can only control the things that you yourself do, so refuse to practice such behavior yourself. Lead by example and maybe your partner will follow suit. Only if there is credible proof to doubt your partner, keep your suspicions to yourself.

2. Unconditional love is a love that knows no bounds and holds no conditions. In other words, it’s a selfless love. Practice it! This kind of love will help you see past your partner’s flaws and foibles. Unconditional love conquers all!

3. Your goal is to be a good, faithful and supportive partner. Try to learn from any problems you’ve had to deal with. Don’t let it get you down, just chalk it up to experience. This will allow you to grow and become a better person. Have the modesty to admit when you’ve made a mistake. This experience will not only help you to become a better partner, it also helps you become a more mature individual in the process. Stress to your partner the importance of your relationship. Let him or her know how much you are willing to work and fight for its survival.

4. "Relationship Killers" … Learn how to avoid them.

• Going back on a promise

• Putting pride above all else, and letting it rule your emotions and actions

• Ignoring your partner’s feelings and concerns

• Keeping people in your life that your spouse doesn’t like

• Letting your temper or emotions run amuck

• Disrespecting your partner

• And the big daddy of them all … Lying. Trust is crucial!

Now, once you put all of this in perspective, saving your marriage in one week doesn’t feel like an impossible task. I can guarantee you it’s not easy. You must be willing to make an effort to work through whatever marital issues have arisen. Be open, honest and above all compassionate. If you are, then you stand a good chance of succeeding. I wish you the best of luck!