Whenever you want to improve anything in your life you first have to make a decision that it’s a priority for you. Once the decision is made and it’s clear, there are actions you must take leading you to the goal. In marriage there are also a few key decisions that need to be made.

There are negative behaviors that impact a relationship that some couples fail to correct. Poor communication, a lack of sacrifice, and failure to support one another are the ones to absolutely avoid. There are 9, however, that should be present in every relationship and are pretty easy to master, if a couple chooses to.

Treat your spouse like more than a spouse. See him/her beyond the romance. If you thought of your spouse as a best friend, support system, and true partner in life, your behavior would reflect that line of thinking. A few ways to demonstrate these behaviors are:

• Talk to your spouse about any and everything
• Lean on your spouse when you’re going through
• Consult your spouse when big decisions have to be made regarding your family

Be vulnerable with your spouse. In order to be vulnerable you have to be willing to go beneath the surface and share what you wouldn’t normally share with any other person. Your deepest fears, your biggest regrets, and all of your hopes for the future should be disclosed to your spouse. A few ways to demonstrate these behaviors are:

• Trust your spouse with your secrets
• Create a judge-free space for your spouse to be vulnerable as well
• Erase any negative thoughts that may surface by your being vulnerable

Choose to give your marriage your everything. Again, it’s about making a decision based on what’s most important to you. For me and my husband, for example, we decided that divorce is not an option. Once we came to that conclusion, we began to fight harder to find solutions to our biggest dilemmas. We actually have no choice but to fight, because that was the choice we made. A few ways to demonstrate this behavior is:

• Make your spouse’s happiness your ultimate goal
• Take excellent care of your half of your relationship
• Put your needs second in your marriage  

The above are just a few easy behaviors couples can start practicing today. However, prior to beginning, you must make a decision that your marriage is the priority. Once you do, everything else will naturally fall into place, making each of these behaviors easy to display.

Question, what are additional love behaviors couples should master?