Unhappy Marriage

8 Things To Consider If You’ve Been In An Unhappy Marriage For Years

By Mary Ellen Goggin / October 21, 2020
Profile of an unhappy woman.

You’re enough of a realist to expect some down days, occasional heated arguments, and I’ll-lose-my-mind-if-I-don’t-get-some-alone-time pinings for a solo vacay. None would be on your favorites list, but none would qualify your marriage as “unhappy,” either. Being in an unhappy marriage, let alone an unhappy marriage for years, takes a different toll. Believe it or…

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How To Get Out Of An Unhappy Marriage Without Getting Divorced

By Mary Ellen Goggin / July 22, 2020
If you're considering how to get out of an unhappy marriage, you're facing a fork in the road like this one in a forest.

Knowing how to get out of an unhappy marriage isn’t as simple as doing a web search for divorce lawyers. It’s not even necessarily about getting divorced. There are two components to an “unhappy marriage”: unhappy and marriage. And when your disappointment, sadness, or downright despair starts making you eye the front door, one or…

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What Jealousy In Your Relationship Is Trying To Tell You — And How To Overcome It

By Mary Ellen Goggin / June 18, 2020
Woman standing on a rocky beach at sunrise feeling the freedom of overcoming jealousy

Negative emotions don’t exactly exude a welcome invitation to higher learning. They feel crappy, they challenge your very thinking and allotment of energy, and they drain the life force out of you. One of the most negative emotions is jealousy. Within your relationship, it can be destructive. Within yourself, it can be devouring. This is…

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5 Simple Steps To Overcoming Jealousy In Your Relationship

By Mary Ellen Goggin / June 4, 2020
Classic painting of a man trying to flee a jealous woman.

You’re not asking for anything unreasonable when you expect commitment and trust from your partner. And jealousy is a natural reaction, though it can get out of hand. You just want what belongs to you. And you don’t want anyone else threatening to take the one you love. But it’s important that you understand how…

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7 Signs Your Relationship Isn’t As Solid As You Think

By Mary Ellen Goggin / May 22, 2020
If your relationship isn't solid, you could end up at a dead end sign like this one.

Relationships, as we all know, are complex, complicated, and often teeming with hidden messages about where we’ve been and where we need to go. We “work through our stuff” in the context of relationship, whether we recognize the process or not. If we’re paying attention, we see the signs that can help us navigate our…

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How To Answer The Question, “Is My Marriage Worth Saving?” Once And For All

By Mary Ellen Goggin / May 15, 2020
Couple holding hands walking into the sunset because they've each finally answered the question is my marriage worth saving.

It’s an unfortunate place to reach in a marriage. Taking a lifetime vow and then feeling disconnected from it can be a lonely, confusing, even frightening reality. Simply questioning, “Is my marriage worth saving?” speaks to the fragility and potential demise of the union. There are ways, however, to slow down the frantic questioning and…

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How To Stop Feeling Contempt Toward Your Spouse And Get That Loving Feeling Back

By Mary Ellen Goggin / May 8, 2020
Couple embracing because they've stopped feeling contempt toward one another.

Of all the tell-tale signs that a marriage may be in trouble, contempt is the worst. There are plenty of reasons contempt is considered the greatest predictor of divorce. And if you have reached this stage in your marriage, you may not see any way out. But if you can commit to learning how to…

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What Does Contempt Do To A Marriage? (Warning: It’s Not Pretty)

By Mary Ellen Goggin / April 10, 2020
what contempt does to marriage

Every marriage has its share of “grrr” moments, raised voices, silent treatment, and even the desire to escape. It’s impossible to live intimately with another person – let alone for a lifetime – without wishing that person would change in a bunch of ways. It’s when negativity is left unchecked that things get dangerous. The…

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