Married couples can learn and apply enduring life lessons such as responsibility, respect, and fairness for their marriage from sports. Here are lessons the two of you can learn from popular sports.
Baseball: Keep them guessing.
This doesn't mean expecting your mate to read your mind. It means keeping some mystery and delight in your marriage.
Basketball: Wait for the right moment.
Although you should pick the right time to have a difficult conversation, don't wait too long before having the talk. If you waited 48 hours, you waited too long.
Bicycling: Know when to change gears.
There are times when a decision you made together just doesn't work out. Don't say 'I told you so!' Reevaluate the decision without blaming one another for the mistake.
Bodybuilding: Appreciate the importance of rest and the value of getting a good night's sleep.
Since the two of you will spend nearly one-third of your lives sleeping together, talk about your different sleep preferences and come up with solutions so you can both sleep soundly.
Boxing: Stay out of the corner.
As a married couple, you will have disagreements. Don't hide in a corner, walk on egg shells, or fear rocking the boat. One of the keys to a successful relationship is knowing how to handle conflict.
Camping: Before you fall asleep, make sure that the campfire is out.
Although we don't recommend staying up all night to finish an argument, we do think you should set a time within 24 hours to continue the discussion.
Cheerleading: A successful cheerleader never stops learning and looks for ways to be improve skills.
When it comes to marriage, there is always more to learn and more ways to enhance your relationship. Learn together how to make your marriage a great one.
Climbing: Build better anchors to stay safe.
If you want to have a long lasting marriage, one of the "anchors" should be showing your love for one another on a regular basis.
Diving: Don't balk, almost ever. Don't develop a habit of stopping every time you think something wasn't exactly perfect.
Accept that your marriage won't be perfect all the time, but there are ways to move from a sense of disappointment.
Exercise: You need to set specific goals.
Finances are one of the areas in your marriage where goals are extremely important. Talk with one another about your financial goals, both short-term and long-term.
Figure Skating: Be aware of what keeps you centered.
Even though your volunteer work may give you a sense of joy and fulfillment, if the time away from your spouse is creating problems, you should know when to say no to others and yes to your spouse.
Fly Fishing: Have patience. It is going to take time.
If there has been betrayal in your marriage, in order to heal and to forgive, you will need to give one another time. The healing process does not happen quickly.
Football: The object of football is to get the ball in your endzone more than your opponent.
Don't sabotage your marriage. In order to reach your goals as a couple, you need to work together as a team.
Freshwater Fishing: A GPS is an invaluable tool.
A new woman in our lives, a GPS unit, has a pleasant voice and keeps us from getting lost!
Golf: You're never too old.
As you approach the second half of your marriage, relish the quiet moments of your empty nest home and find ways to enjoy having alone time together.
Gymnastics: Along with strength, flexibility is critical to being successful in gymnastics.
Don't let stress, hurt feelings, unexpressed expectations, and miscommunication ruin your holidays. Keep the lines of communication open between the two of you and be willing to be flexible.
Hockey: A shootout in hockey is preceeded by a two-minute break.
There may be times when you are having a disagreement, that you need to give one another space. We're not talking about a separate vacation in the middle of an argument, but giving your spouse some time to gather his/her thoughts can result in a more healthy discussion.
Horse Riding: After a fall, do a quick assessment and check for injuries. Figure out why you fell off, avoid making the same mistake. There is no way to completely avoid falling off a horse.
If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize for it, fix it, and don't repeat it.
Hunting: Know when to turn back.
One way to know when to throw in the towel on your marriage or to know when your marriage has reached the point of no return is to ask yourself some key questions.
Inline Skating: Know your expectations.
Make time to discuss and fine tune your expectations about marriage.
Martial Arts: Start off in a strong position.
Along with taking a premarriage course, learn about what you can do before you get married to lower your odds for divorce.
NASCAR: You can win without being the fastest.
Taking one step after another as you journey together through life, is one way to stay connected and to make time to slow down.
