Tips on having a great marriage.

Hope. It's what gets us out of the bed in the morning and keeps us putting one foot in front of the other. But for those going through divorce, hope can be elusive.

We'd like to share our personal tips for a successful marriage and hope that they can help you with your relationship. Here they are:

As the owners of Divorce Magazine, we want you to know that hope for a happier future after divorce is possible. One year after my (Dan's) divorce, I launched Divorce Magazine and www.DivorceMagazine.com to help provide useful information to people going through a divorce and New Jersey divorce law. Then, two years later, I remarried. In 2007, we celebrated our10th wedding anniversary.

We'd like to share our personal tips for a successful marriage and hope that they can help you with your relationship. Here they are:

1. Spend time together. "Work and play together, with each other, and with your kids, no matter how busy you are," says Dan.

2. Don't be afraid to also spend time apart. "We all need our space," says Martha an experienced family lawyer New York. "When Dan and I spend time apart it doesn't mean we don't love each other." Spend time with your girl or guy friends, she suggests. "Don't hesitate to do activities or sports you love on your own, if your spouse is not into the same thing."

3. Be supportive of your spouse. "Support each other in whatever it is that interests you," advises Martha. "Make your spouse a proud mother or father, help them be successful in their career, and support their family and hobbies." (Martha and Dan, for instance, are activists for the same non profit organization -- The Hunger Project.)

4. Begin from a place of trust. "Never question your spouse's intention," stresses Dan. "They may do things that 'appear' to be wrong or hurtful, but if you start by knowing they have good intentions, the rest will take care of itself."

5. Communicate. "Tell each other what works, and what doesn't work," suggests Martha. "Don't save it all up and then blow up." And be sure to tell them regularly that you love them, she urges. "Just tell them!"

6. Appreciate life -- and one another. "Don't take each other for granted," advises Dan. "And don't take your relationship for granted, either. Learn the art of appreciation. It will do wonders for your relationship and your life."

7. Celebrate your accomplishments, individually, and as a couple. "And celebrate your children's accomplishments, too, together as a family," says Martha.


Since 1996, Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com have proudly produced the industry's only divorce magazine and Google's top-ranked divorce website. Developed to inform, educate, and support divorcing people with divorce-related articles, news, exclusive interviews, and helpful resources, the website and magazine are regionalized to serve divorcing people in their own areas. The magazine offers six local editions throughout North America, while surfers can choose any U.S. state or Canadian province to learn more about the divorce process and resources available in their area.

Dan Couvrette is the founder and CEO of Divorce Magazine and www.DivorceMagazine.com

Martha Chan is the V.P. Marketing of Divorce Magazine and www.DivorceMagazine.com