In the new book “Eight Dates” by John Gottman, PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD, Doug Abrams, and Rachel Carlton Abrams, M.D., the authors discuss the secret ingredient to creating a lifetime of love. The secret it turns out is intentional discussion. The authors suggest eight meaningful topics to be discussed over the course of eight dates. The subjects range from money, sex, dreams and trust. I highly recommend this book to any couple on their quest for a deeper and long lasting relationship.
University of North Carolina researchers explored whether particular aspects of mindfulness relate to marital bliss. Their survey of 164 long-married couples found that the happiest spouses tended to be married to individuals who reported less reactivity to inner experience. Perhaps calmly observing your reactions during a conflict without yelling or withdrawing fosters more constructive discussions with your partner.
