by Corey Pieper

Created on: December 03, 2010

When I was a child at my grandparent’s house I found a copy of Readers Digest from the 1960’s and read the quotable quotes section and came across an interesting quote.  I do not have that copy now but the essence of it was this: A perfect husband is a husband who does not expect a perfect wife.  The meaning of what I read many years ago has stuck with me, and as someone with a M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy and studying to earn a PH.D in Clinical Psychology is important considering the work I do. 

            I have worked with many couples that struggle to make each other happy and to be happy themselves.  Something that I see in common in this situation is that the couples expect their partner to be someone other than who they are.  Think about it this way, it would be crazy to have a dog as a pet and leave home every day and go to work hoping and praying that the dog magically becomes a cat.  Then upon returning home you find you still have a dog and are continually disappointed.  A man can help his wife to be happy by accepting her for who she is, and not who he wants her to be.  If a man or his wife for that matter does not accept their partner for who they are it can cause problems in their relationship. 

            Marriages are a beautiful thing, but they are also difficult and accepting your spouse for who they are is a simple but effective way to improve a marriage.  I know I am not perfect and that I do things that bother my wife at times so I understand that she has her own little things that bother me.  When I understand this I am better able to let go of the little things and keep them from bothering me as much which improves the marriage and in turn helps to make her happier. 

            Another way a man can help his wife to be happy is to be happy himself.  I have worked with many couples and a common theme in the healthier ones is that both of the individuals are happy themselves which in turn helps their partner to be happier as well.  As a man it is important to take care of himself, when he does this he makes his wife happier as well. 

            What I have written is simple in concept but very powerful in effect.  These concepts are only tools we can use to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

Learn more about this author, Corey Pieper.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.