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August 06 | R-E-S-P-E-C-T 🎶

August 06, 2021

tips & tricks for growth

13 tips for newlyweds

Our closest friends just got married. My wife and I grabbed dinner with them a few weeks ago, and it reminded me of how fun (and frustrating) the newlywed phase of marriage can be. Our friends are clearly in a season of re-learning everything they thought they knew about marriage and each other. Seeing this reminded me of just how uncomfortable the first few years of marriage can be and how NORMAL it is for couples to struggle.

Here are 13 Tips to Help Couples Navigate the First Few Years of Marriage:

1. Listening is key.

2. You won’t always agree, and that’s ok.

3. You’re both going to grow.

4. You both may see the world differently

5. Always be intentional with each other.

6. Keep dating.

7. Make sex a priority.

8. Boundaries are crucial.

9. Conflict will happen.

10. Assume the best about your spouse

11. Be your spouse’s #1 cheerleader.

12. Be committed.

13. Have fun, and lots of it.

The first five years of marriage can be uncomfortable and beautiful all at the same time. Whether you’re a newlywed yourself or you have newly married couples in your life, these 13 tips can go a long way to help newlyweds build a solid foundation for the rest of their lives together.

4 ways to practice self-care while planning a wedding

If you want your best self to show up on your best day ever, practicing self-care while planning your wedding should be at the top of your to-do list. Planning a day that is ultimately about 8 hours but signifies a lifelong commitment can be stressful, I’ll be the first to admit it, having planned my own wedding. Stress can take a toll on a person and affect your relationship with your soon-to-be spouse, so to get your marriage off on the right foot, let’s get you taken care of!

Here's 4 Ways You Can Practice Self-Care:

1. Set aside a day when you don’t wedding plan.

It’s important that the engagement season doesn’t drain all of your attention. You and your fiancé need to spend quality time with each other.

2. Delegate tasks.

I know this is a hard one—especially because you know the vision in your head and making the list of everything that needs to get done sounds just as scary as doing them. Delegating some of the more mundane time-suckers would allow you to pencil in some self-care.

3. Cut yourself some slack and take it one day at a time.

Try not to be so hard on yourself or your fiancé. With the stress of planning a perfect day, a bump in the road can sneak its way into looking like a mountain. There will be things that don’t go as planned, have to be re-thought or rearranged, and that’s just a part of the process!

4. Focus on your overall health.

You want to show up feeling better than ever on your big day, so be kind to yourself and make it happen. Before you buy into “there’s not enough time in the day” or that you have to lose sleep while wedding planning, buy in to yourself. If you prioritize yourself—you know half of the reason why this day is even happening, then you’ll get to really enjoy the process during this crazy and exciting season!

Q: What is the highest-grossing romantic comedy?

Find out the answer here!

what we're lovin'

This week's picks come from Anna Reeves McCutcheon, an active participant in the Chattanooga Fellows Initiative, former FTF Intern, and now the Social Media Manager here at First Things First! Take a peek at her recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check 'em out 👀:

📖 Single, Dating, Engaged, Married by Ben Stuart talks through how to live in and enjoy each phase of life through faith. And for the phases you haven’t reached, it gives hope!

☕️ Kona French Press I’m a huge coffee drinker. I’ve had this $21 French press since I was in college, and it’s still going strong, so I would highly recommend it! It keeps ya coffee hot, and it’s the perfect companion for a nice snuggle-up with a good book.

🎧 Get Out of Your Head by The Porch (With Special Guest Jennie Allen) talks about how we train our brains how to think based on self-talk. It helps orient yourself to how your thoughts are impacting your life and what to do about it while incorporating faith into your mindset.

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