How to keep financial stress from putting a strain on your marriage

According to the American Psychological Association, out of 25,000 adults surveyed 75% said that money was the #1 source of stress in their lives. And financial stress is the
# 1 reason that couples divorce. With the economic future unstable many couples are feeling the stress already. Here are a few steps that may help keep your stress at bay and your marriage in tact.

• Communicate with intent
  

Don’t yell or point fingers or lay blame. These tactics never work. Before opening a conversation with your spouse spend a few minutes alone to get centered and calm. Breathe in slowly to the count of six, hold to the count of four and then slowly release the breath to the count of 8. Repeat this process 8 to 10 times.Then ask yourself, what do I want to accomplish from this conversation? What is my intention? Do I want to come together with my spouse to create a plan? Do I want to garner the support of my spouse? Do I want to create a harmonious atmosphere in our home? By knowing what you want to accomplish you will create a conversation that will help the two of you find solutions. If the discussion moves away from your intention be aware of what is happening and gently steer the conversation back.

• Share your feelings
  

This is the person you choose to spend the rest of your life with, don’t clam up now. This is the time to share your fears and anxieties with your loved one so that together you can come up with a solution. Maybe you messed up and spent money you should not have or you made a bad investment go ahead and fess up and I guarantee you will feel better. We all make mistakes. Your spouse will find out eventually. It is better if they hear the bad news coming from you. It is human nature to want to help someone and I guarantee that your spouse will want to help you if you approach this situation right.

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