May 06, 2022
top trending topics
đ Love & cherish your wife this Mother’s Day!
đ·Â Here are a few tips for navigating Mother’s Day with a difficult mom.
đ€« Wondering if you have to tell your spouse everything? We’ve got some insight.
đ Here are a few ways you can begin to put your spouse first.
đ FREE DATE NIGHT ALERT: Have some summer fun together!
tips & tricks for growth
managing expectations for mother’s day
Have you ever asked your spouse what they plan on doing for you on Motherâs Day? Raise your hand if theyâve replied:
Shoot⊠Is that THIS weekend?Â
or
Whatever you want to do, Babe.
or
Umm⊠nothing. Youâre not my mom.Â
All wrong answers. That sinking feeling of being unappreciated, taken for granted and forgotten drowns out any last-minute plans they may try to scramble together. The damage has been done.
Your expectations to be thought of and celebrated have been shattered to dust. And if this isnât the first, second, or third offense, you may even feel numb to it now. Disappointment is inevitable. No point in getting your hopes up, right?
Letâs break down some expectation barriers together so we can all win on Motherâs Day…
BARRIER #1: You expect your spouse to think and act like you.
Itâs easy to believe that everyone (including your spouse) sees the world the way you do. This sets you up for some pretty unrealistic expectations and
disappointment. You want your spouse to magically know and do exactly what you would do (and probably are doing for your own mother).
BARRIER #2: You expect your spouse to read your mind.
Whether youâve been together for 3 years or 30⊠your spouse cannot read your mind. We joke about this â but when was the last time youâve thought or said, âYou should know what I like! Iâve only told you 1 million times!â? Been there, said that way too often.
BARRIER #3: You expect your spouse to be perfect.
No matter how hard your spouse tries, theyâll never be perfect. Expecting perfection sets unrealistic standards that will make them believe they arenât good enough. Itâll push them away, and youâll end up experiencing the opposite of what you wanted to feel.
Telling them exactly how youâd feel loved and appreciated will set them up for success and set your expectations at a realistic level.
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Gena Ellis, wife to her college sweetheart, mother of 3 boys, and a Relationship Coach here at First Things First! Take a peek at her recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out đ:
đ§ Marriage and Martinis– This is a fun interactive podcast by an âaverage coupleâ as they go through life together.
đ Winshape Marriage– Winshape Marriage provides a variety of great marriage experiences & retreats based on the stage and season of your marriage.
đ Motherâs Day when your mother has passed– For many, Motherâs Day is a day of celebration and joy. For me, it is a reminder of loss. This article provides insight for how to help your spouse if their mother has passed away.
share the love
Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we’ve packed in here? Go ahead and share it with them!