Relationship vs. Marriage

Top five ways a new marriage is different from a committed
relationship

As many of you know, I got married less than two weeks ago. In a
spirit of complete irreverence, here are some humorous differences
between being in a committed relationship and being a newlywed
couple. And, of course, none of these apply to me and my new
husband :-)

1. "I have to live with this for the rest of my life."

Relationship:
If your partner says something or does something that really bugs
you, you console yourself. You know it's always possible to leave
if something really bothers you.

Newlyweds:
When your partner says or does something that really bugs you,
you say, "Oh my god, I have to live with this for the rest of my life."

2. "You are possessed!"

Relationship:
After a while, you get to know your partner really well. Most
responses from him or her fall within a predictable pattern of
speech or behavior.

Newlyweds:
Your partner gets occasionally possessed and things come out
of his or her mouth that clearly belong to someone else, like
another family member. The person to whom this is happening
is just as shocked as you.

3. "You used to be cute, but now you have to change."

Relationship:
While in a relationship, you can accept many differences and
idiosyncrasies about your partner. You may even find them cute
or endearing.

Newlyweds:
Now that you are married and have to live with the person for the
rest of your life, his or her differences and idiosyncrasies become
"need to change now" projects.

4. "What do you call him or her now?"

Relationship:
When you are in a relationship and people say "your wife" or
"your husband" when referring to your significant other, you
promptly correct them.

Newlyweds:
People say "your wife" or "your husband," and you have two
responses. Your first response is, "Oh, yeah, he is my
husband or she is my wife." Your second response is, "Oh my
god!"

5. "Congratulations, but it's all down hill from here."

Relationship:
Getting engaged and getting ready to get married is a great thing.
People congratulate you, send you cards, and get exited for you.

Newlyweds:
Now that you are married, people still congratulate you. Then,
they tell you the relationship is going down hill from here. It's a
little like, "Congratulations, you just boarded a sinking ship."
Hmm...

Your Relationship Coach,
Rinatta Paries

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This article was originally published by Coach Rinatta Paries in
The Relationship Coach Newsletter, a weekly e-zine for people
who want fulfilling relationships. For singles, the newsletter will
help you attract your Mr. or Ms. Right. If you're in a relation-
ship, learn to create much more closeness and intimacy with
your mate. To subscribe, go to http://www.WhatItTakes.com
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