Something Old, Something New, And Some Rose-Colored Glasses to Make It Through

Research shows that people who unrealistically viewed their partner as ideal when they got married were more satisfied with their marriage three years later.

Looking at your marriage through rose colored glasses may be more beneficial than being realistic. A study published in Psychological Science found that people who unrealistically viewed their partner as ideal when they got married were more satisfied with their marriage three years later than people who were less idealistic in their judgments.

Volunteers were asked to complete surveys on themselves, their partner, and their marriage every six months for the first three years of their marriage. Although the well-supported trend of having declined marital satisfaction in the first few years of marriage was present, those who saw their partners as unrealistically ideal showed some immunity to it. They showed more satisfaction with their marriage than volunteers who initially had less than ideal views of their partners.

We all know the honeymoon stage is bound to end sometime, but it doesn’t have to be all downhill from then on. Try to view your partner as your ideal partner and the satisfaction will last longer.