

{"id":18131,"date":"2017-09-29T11:55:03","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T11:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=18131"},"modified":"2026-01-04T07:37:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T07:37:53","slug":"5-self-care-tips-in-an-unhappy-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/5-self-care-tips-in-an-unhappy-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Self-Care Tips in an Unhappy Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18132 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/5-Self-Care-Tips-in-an-Unhappy-Marriage.jpg\" alt=\"American Lady Sitting Alone Beside Of Beach Without Her Shoes\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You probably already know this very well, we cannot be in a happy marriage if we don&rsquo;t <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/love\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">love<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or take good care of ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of self-care inadvertently leads to the bumpy road of a bad, unhappy marriage.&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is, of course, easier said than done, especially for the ones who didn&rsquo;t have the luck to grow up in a loving, caring environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marriage isn&rsquo;t only about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/how-to-marry-the-right-person\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marrying the right person<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, regardless of what many people may think. To be happy in a union with another person, you need to love, respect, and accept yourself fully.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-if-you-are-already-married-and-unhappy\"><\/span>What if you are already married and unhappy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When couples start facing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/8-common-problems-in-married-life\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">challenges in their marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they begin to worry that they didn&rsquo;t marry the right person.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They think that their choice wasn&rsquo;t right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though choosing to date and marry a person who is highly compatible with you is a crucial factor for the success of your marriage, your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/\"><b>marital happiness<\/b><\/a><b> depends less on marrying the right person and more on doing the right things with that person.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The success of the marriage doesn&rsquo;t just depend on the decision whom to marry, but also on what you do to cherish that union and one another.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your current marital situation isn&rsquo;t satisfying, but you still feel the desire to stay with your partner, then the shift from &ldquo;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/quizzes\/did-i-marry-the-right-person-quiz\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are they the right person<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?&rdquo; to &ldquo;what can we do to make things right?&rdquo; can be a solid start for overcoming the feeling of misery that you are currently experiencing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-can-you-do-to-make-things-right\"><\/span>What can you do to make things right?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relationships are a work in progress, and they require a lot of devotion and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/commitment-and-seeing-it-through\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">commitment from both partners<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, it doesn&rsquo;t always take both partners actively working on &ldquo;marriage recovery&rdquo; in order for the couple to become happier since, for some issues, even individual effort can make a great difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make things right in a struggling marriage, the best starting point is &ldquo;the inner work&rdquo; with yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking care of yourself by following self-care tips will help you find an answer to the question, what to do when you are not happy in your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is best achieved through proper self-care and the intention of cultivating self-love and acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, embrace the self-care strategies that are meant to strengthen your resolve and help you thrive.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you are able to live a happier and fuller life as an individual within a marriage, your unhappy partner will directly benefit from your well-being, and your relationship will begin to improve.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is what you can do to make things better when not happy in marriage.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-Be-more-gentle-with-yourself\"><\/span>1. Be more gentle with yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With our partners, we work in a so-called &ldquo;response pattern,&rdquo; this means that the way we communicate and approach them influences the way they respond to us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How we communicate with others has a lot to do with our &ldquo;inner self-talk.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The harsher and more judgmental we are towards ourselves, the more likely it is that we will &ldquo;stimulate&rdquo; an aggressive or passive response from our spouse. How we treat ourselves often creates a road map others follow.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>We must cultivate kindness and gentleness when talking to ourselves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. By doing so, we will directly create more space for love and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/developing-acceptance-skills-in-a-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">acceptance in our marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That&rsquo;s also how to practice self-care when you are unhappily married.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-Take-time-to-reflect\"><\/span>2. Take time to reflect<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A simple self-care practice that you can try already is to take a moment (also a pen and some paper) and note down some important aspects of your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can ask yourself questions and highlight what is currently <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-make-my-marriage-work-again\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">working in your marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, what are you doing that isn&rsquo;t working in your marriage, and what can you do differently to flip the loveless marriage into a healthy one?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to add the things you feel you are doing well. Surely there are some since your partner is choosing to be with you.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When writing down the answers, <\/span><b>make sure that you are open, vulnerable, and honest.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t rush during this reflection and avoid using your phone, social media, or engaging in other types of distractions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-Give-yourself-some-%E2%80%9Cyou%E2%80%9D-time\"><\/span>3. Give yourself some &ldquo;you&rdquo; time<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is easy to slip into the habit of trying to please your partner, and by doing so, neglect yourself and your own needs.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though marriage is about giving to our loved ones, it mustn&rsquo;t be only that, and that&lsquo;s why trying out self-care ideas is crucial to escape a miserable marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your needs are important, and you are important, so <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-find-time-for-yourself-after-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dedicating some time<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and even some money, in order to give yourself a chance to become healthy and satisfied is an essential part of turning your unhappy marriage into a happy one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4-Mend-your-money-beliefs\"><\/span>4. Mend your money beliefs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You find yourself unhappy in marriage. Is money a source of some of your marital conflicts? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3230928\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marital conflicts about money seem to be more prevailing and remain unresolved longer, compared to other marital problems.&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If yes, then you are not the only couple damaged by the so-called money madness. The difficulty with money and marriage is that &ldquo;the matter isn&rsquo;t that simple.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often <\/span><b>couples that lack financial compatibility are stuck in a bad marriage.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Money can&rsquo;t substitute value, love, safety, security, care<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but it can be an integral part of satisfying those needs. Therefore, money can cause a lot of havoc in relationships if not managed properly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By mending your beliefs about money and adopting the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/carolyncenteno\/2018\/04\/04\/what-is-abundant-thinking\/#44f234ab3a0c\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">abundance mentality<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can create a big change in your marriage and make a conscious endeavor of not staying in an unhappy marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-Revive-the-neglected-romance\"><\/span>5. Revive the neglected romance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Love is not just a feeling. It is also something you do to get the feeling itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/romance\/how-to-add-romance-to-a-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing romantic things<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> together will increase your chances to feel love as a result of your efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Also watch this expert video on how to fall in love again with your spouse:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9rpT3u1RxCM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>Self-sacrifice, generosity, the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3156929\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><b>ability to forgive<\/b><\/a><b>, care, and commitment are all needed for you to succeed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in returning the romantic moments in your unhappy marriage and improving the overall satisfaction with it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are unhappy in your marriage, it is not uncommon to go looking up for unhappy marriage advice or how to survive in an unhappy marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/experts\/christiana-njoku\" target=\"_blank\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Christiana Njoku<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, LPC:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In taking care of yourself in an unhappy marriage, it&rsquo;s important to seek professional advice and go through therapy sessions.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By taking care of yourself starting today, you will be on your path on how to be happy in an unhappy marriage, since when you are happy, the marriage eventually will turn into a happy one. By working on yourself, you are advancing your marriage.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While prioritizing self-care can turn a good marriage into a great one, it also has the potential to repair a bad marriage and start anew.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Takeaway<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No one is saying that it will be simple and easy to explore self-care ideas or adopt self-care practices. Still, if you succeed, it will help you reconnect with your spouse and improve overall marriage satisfaction and find your true self. It will totally be worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You probably already know this very well, we cannot be in a happy marriage if we don&rsquo;t love or take good care of ourselves. Lack of self-care inadvertently leads to the bumpy road of a bad, unhappy marriage.&nbsp; This is, of course, easier said than done, especially for the ones who didn&rsquo;t have the luck to grow up in a loving, caring environment. Marriage isn&rsquo;t only about marrying the right person, regardless of what many people may think. To be happy in a union with another person, you need to love, respect, and accept yourself fully. What if you are <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":18132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2500],"tags":[2593],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18131"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18131"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115781,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18131\/revisions\/115781"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}