December 17, 2021
top trending topics
🗣️ It’s totally healthy to have fights in marriage.
🔥 Don’t fret if your spouse has a low sex drive.
🏡 Buying your first house doesn’t have to make you crazy.
🤗 Don’t let life steal your holiday joy this year.
😔 You’re not alone if you’re feeling disconnected from your spouse right now.
tips & tricks for growth
get along with your spouse’s siblings this holiday
Sometimes a spouse comes with extras… like their family. At times, those relationships bring added joy and challenges, especially when it comes to your spouse’s siblings.
So how do you foster a good relationship and get along with your spouse’s siblings?
Of course, a lot depends on the context. How well does your spouse get along with their siblings? What’s their stage of life and personality? How does your spouse’s family function overall? These factors often affect what getting along with your spouse’s siblings looks like.
But if you keep the following tips in mind, you’re more likely to have good sibling-in-law relationships.
1. Have Realistic Expectations
2. Look for Opportunities to Support
3. Invite Them to Be a Part of Your World With Your Spouse
4. Avoid Turning Down Invitations to Be in Their World
5. Keep Your Marriage First
Fostering good relationships with your in-laws is a win for your marriage.
be in the here and now when you’re talking to friends & family
Want to be successful and valued at work and at home—really anywhere? Be present with who you are with and who you are talking to. I know you’re gonna say, “But I am present—I’m standing right next to them!” That’s the easy part of being present. The hard part is being mentally present.
It’s impossible to be mentally present with someone when we are full of our own thoughts. Our minds are usually rethinking the past or wondering about the future.
A study by Harvard University psychologists concluded that we spend 46.9% of our waking hours thinking about something other than what we’re doing. In conversations, we are often waiting for our chance to speak, thinking of something interesting to say, or thinking about our appearance and the impression we are making.
We aren’t listening. We aren’t present. Be mindful of the moment you’re in.
Practice a few of these tips to be more present with your kids, friends, family, etc., and see the difference it makes. You can do it!
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Kris Nash, wife to her husband of 25 years, Greg, Mom of 3 girls, and the Editor here at First Things First. Take a peek at her recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out 👀:
📗 The Lost Art of Listening is a recent read that has rocked my world in so many ways. Listening to it as an audiobook lets me know that I want an actual copy I can hold in my hand. It’s a must-read, and the principles in it can truly enhance your marriage and give you tons of insight into your most intimate relationships. I just wish I’d read (or listened to) it sooner.
📲 Check out the Hoopla app if you want to read or listen to some of those books on your list! It’s totally free with certain library cards, and the ebooks, audiobooks, movies and music choices are AMAZING. I like to listen while traveling or doing stuff around the house. It’s a game-changer for me!
😋 Here’s my not-so-secret 5-Minute Homemade Blender Eggnog recipe. Trust me – it’s so good that you may never buy eggnog at the store again! Make some of this for you and your honey to sip on as you cozy up together during the holidays. Eggnog not your thing? Try homemade hot cocoa using this recipe from Hershey’s. (Oh, and let me know what you think!)
share the love
Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we’ve packed in here? Go ahead and share it with them!
Was This Helpful?
Did this blog give you the information you were looking for and give you tools to help improve your relationships?
