I’m sure that if you’re anything like me, you’re always curious to know what truly makes a marriage work. Not work, but thrive.

Although I haven’t yet made it to the big anniversaries, I have learned a thing or two and what I’m about to share might surprise you.

My tip for a successful marriage? Be more selfish.

Yup, I said it. The truth is, things in your life (from your relationships to your business) depend on your personal health and happiness. Yet, it’s so hard for so many of us to believe this enough to put ourselves first.

So many of us are raised to believe that putting others first is the way to show them we care. We’re taught that putting the needs of the relationship ahead of our own needs is the right thing to do.

I’m here to challenge that and tell you that focussing on yourself will actually improve your relationships with others.

Whoa.

Now, I know this sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. I know from personal experience that continuously putting your own needs and happiness low on the priority list is actually a disservice to yourself and others.

So, when was the last time you focused on what makes you happy? When was the last time you put your needs first? Do you worry that doing more for yourself is going to negatively impact the important relationships in your life?

You aren’t the only one, Friend.

So many of us get trapped in this idea that putting others first is the magical ingredient to successful relationships. That’s simply not true.

That’s why, in a recent episode of the IHML podcast, I sat down with my husband James to reflect on our relationship and how we’ve been able to grow as individuals and as a couple.

It really boiled down to a few essential things that I want to share with you today….

But before I do, I want to remind you of something that is at the root of it all. In romance, we get so caught up in this idea of finding the person who “completes” us that we lose sight of what makes us happiest and healthiest. We spend so much time worrying about how others are going to judge our decisions and trying to do what we think will create the least amount of conflict.

However, the individual is just as important as the relationship (we learned this from our relationship coach).

And if you’re not in a romantic relationship, you don’t have to stop reading. In fact, I encourage you to keep reading. What I’m about to share with you can be applied to relationships with friends, spouses, teammates (even spouses who are teammates), you name it.

So, here are three things you can do to help you focus on yourself and strengthen your relationships…

1. Listen to what actually makes you happy.

2. Speak your truth (and don’t feel wrong for it).

3. Be more forgiving to yourself (and others).  

Now, not all relationships are meant to last forever. However, note that relationships can change too. If reading this brought up feelings of misalignment in your relationship (sometimes we grow in different directions, and that’s okay too), it’s time to have a conversation. You have to be honest with yourself and the other person, for both of your sakes.

James and I are proof that you can grow together and that creating a positive and healthy relationship with yourself will open the door for you to have strong relationships with others. We hope the journey we’ve been on in our relationship can help you reflect upon your own and that you can begin applying some takeaways to your own life and relationships today.

Emily

xx

P.S. Want to know more about how focusing on yourself can actually improve your relationships (despite what you may have been taught to believe)? Listen to James and me dive deeper into the hows and whys behind this theory in the recent I Heart My Life podcast episode.