My brilliant and beautiful spouse and I crossed 24 years of marriage. Here are five lessons...
1. The single most important decision you'll ever make in your life is the choice of a life partner. She/he/they will influence the audacity of your ambition, the depth of your passion, the risks you are willing to take, what you'll put into yourself and others. Choose wisely.
My spouse in personal and professional ways has been the wind beneath my wings. I would not be who I am without her.
2. No matter how confident you are of the facts, be open to the possibility that you are wrong. Because, more often than you would like to admit, you will be. It is more efficient, and lovely, this way.
Say sorry. Learn. Move on.
3. Divide responsibilities in complete pieces. Trust that the partner will do a fantastic job of their owned responsibilities, and you'll do the same for yours.
Ex: My spouse manages all our finances and financial future. If she asks, I'm happy to give input, apart from that, my mind is free to focus on my responsibilities in our family. I'm not sitting around second guessing everything.
4. If your core values are the same, the big picture stuff, the little stuff becomes easier to get through.
While we have different ethnicities, at the core we are very similar in our values. We are the same person. (Shamefully) It took me 10 years to learn the value of this similarity. Thereafter, none of the little arguments (or the occasional medium-sized!) seem worth it.
5. I've discovered it is only possible to love a person for such a long time, if you are willing to fall in love with them again and again and again and again. And, they with you.
I could write more, but this is LinkedIn. Not the best place for a love letter. :)
I invite any relationship advice you've distilled. I believe in Kaizen.
PS: The Arroz con Leche, a fav of mine, my spouse made to mark the milestone...
