782: BLESSINGS UPON BLESSINGS

“When I started counting my blessings my whole life turned around.” —Willie Nelson

There is incredible power in pausing to reflect on the blessings upon blessings you have experienced this year. This is especially true for your marriage.

Gratitude shifts the dynamic between you and your spouse.

Expressing thankfulness helps you embrace a more positive outlook on life. And sharing what you are grateful for with your spouse can help you feel closer and more connected at any time of the year.

There are a few ways to approach this conversation with your spouse. But most importantly, you can incorporate this mindset into your marriage to focus on the blessings and see what shifts.

When sharing the blessings upon blessings you’ve received, you can categorize them by months of the year or by The 6 Pillars of Intimacy®.

What’s the best way to initiate this conversation with your spouse? There are three simple tips.

First, take inventory of your own gratitude. What are your blessings?

With a bit of perspective, you can identify things you are grateful for, even if they didn’t feel like blessings in the moment. Use a tool like the Gratitude Planner to reflect and organize your thoughts.

Second, make time to share your blessings with your spouse. They can’t know what has been important or meaningful to you unless you tell them.

So be intentional and set aside time for the two of you to express your gratitude.

Finally, make this a regular practice in your marriage.

Whether you record one thing a day or work it into your Coffee Break time together, you’ll be surprised by what shifts in your marriage if you consistently share how you’ve been blessed.

As we reflect on our year, we see blessings upon blessings in every area of our marriage and life.

For example, it’s a blessing to serve a young adult small group and pray together consistently. This strengthens our spiritual intimacy in powerful ways.

Nightly kisses and sweet cuddles are a blessing to our physical intimacy.

Additionally, it is a blessing to have a spouse who makes sacrifices for you or will care for you when you’re sick or injured.

Making new friends is something to be thankful for, especially if they encourage you in your marriage.

Take time to reflect on trips or vacations. Being able to relax and reconnect in a new place is worth appreciating.

Even when it comes to your financial intimacy, you can be grateful. Perhaps you reached a financial goal. Or your saving and budgeting might have made certain experiences possible this year.

In your career, you can express gratitude. Did you achieve something special? Share about how that felt with your spouse.

Consider how you connected emotionally with your spouse this year. You might be thankful for how you prioritized each other, went on dates, or had deep conversations.

Finally, where did you reach milestones this year? Whether it was a special anniversary, birthday, or family milestone, express gratitude for those moments.

Ultimately, what you talk about is what you focus on. So take time this week to focus on your blessings and see what shifts in your marriage.

Resources

Free Gratitude Planner Marriage Guide

One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book

The 6 Pillars of Intimacy Monthly Planner

Connect with Us

Join the ONE Family private Facebook group to share your story and connect with other couples who are creating extraordinary marriages. To reach us on the Hug Hotline, call or text 858-876-5663 or email hugs@oneextraordinarymarriage.com.