Marriage is one of the sweetest things in life. But it’s not always butterfly stomachs and love songs. Marriage can be difficult and trying at times. It takes a strong marriage and boundless love to survive the tough moments to make it all worthwhile. Here are 7 things every healthy and happy marriage needs.

Friendship

First and foremost, your spouse should be your partner in crime, your teammate, and your best friend. Couples that have a strong friendship are connected deeper on an emotional level, and this friendship becomes the core of the marriage. In fact, the strongest marriages are those built on a foundation of friendship.

Selfless sacrifice

With marriage, comes sacrifice. It’s just the way life works. The key to a healthy marriage is to make these sacrifices without expectation of these them being returned. That is true love.

Stellar Communication

Without communication, any marriage is doomed for failure. Make sure you and your spouse have a healthy and effective system of communication, so the two of you can feel supported and comfortable when discussing the small and the big things in life.

Tiny Gestures

Strong and healthy couples know from experience that small acts of kindness go a long way. Anything from making your spouse a cup of coffee in the morning to leaving notes on the bathroom mirror are the kind of small gestures that start mean a whole lot.

Freedom

Although marriage heavily depends on how the two of you work together and love one another, a healthy marriage also allows the freedom for you to be your own person and supports your pursuit to chase your own dreams.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect of each other’s time, wants, and dreams is necessary if you want your marriage to grow and thrive. It’s important to respect the other person in every way at all times to build a solid foundation of trust and support.

Good Memories

What would a happy and healthy marriage be without good memories to share, laugh about, and reminisce on later? The happiest couples know that the best part of marriage is getting the chance to do life together.

So maybe marriage isn’t smooth-sailing 100% of the time, but if you work on incorporating more of these 7 things into your marriage, you can be confident that your marriage will be the happiest, healthiest, and strongest it has ever been.