Former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama has offered marital advice using her own marriage as an example.
She shared loved-up photos with her husband Barack Obama and said that no matter where she lives, her husband and family were her home.
Michelle stated that their marriage has never been perfectly 50-50 because one person always has to give more to make up when the other is lacking.
She encouraged couples to ask themselves what they were trying to get out of the relationship and both should answer the question together.
According to her, it was also important for couples to listen to each other honestly and without defensiveness.
In her words;
“As an adult, I’ve lived in a number of places, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ve only ever had one real home. My home is my family. My home is Barack.
But here’s the thing—our marriage has never been perfectly 50-50. One of us is always needing more or giving more. We have to be willing to listen to each other, honestly and without defensiveness. Only then, can we evolve together.
Over the years, a lot of young people have asked me about marriage. And my response usually goes something like this: You have to prepare yourself for long stretches of discord and discomfort. You have to learn how to make real compromises in the way you’ve lived as an individual. Glamorizing a relationship while you’re dating will lead you straight to difficulty once you’re married. You can’t paper over problems when you’re living with someone day in and day out.
So you’ve got to ask yourself: What are you trying to get out of this relationship? Have you truly thought it through? Do you want a wedding or do you want a lifelong partnership? Those are two very different things. Together, you are answering the question: Who are we and who do we want to be?
Now I want to hear from you. What advice would you share about marriage or relationships?”