The most romantic day on the calendar is almost here. Since February 14 is on a Friday, you have a long weekend to celebrate with your spouse. So tell me, are you dreaming of Valentine’s Day – or dreading it?
Today, I’ll share some marriage guidance from two well-known relationship experts. Tips to help you celebrate love and avoid a Valentine’s Day letdown.
Sound good? Let’s get started!
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Turn Your Dread into Dreams
A curious email arrived in my inbox. The subject line said, “Don’t Let Valentine’s Day Ruin Your Love Life.” Intrigued, I opened the message. It gave me some food for thought on romance, dreams, and dread.
“Many couples dread Valentine’s Day,” said Les and Leslie Parrott. (This husband-and-wife counseling team share a name AND a passion for healthy relationships.)
WHY do many couples dread Valentine’s Day? According to the Parrotts, it’s because the holiday often leads to letdown. They offer two main reasons:
- heightened expectations, and
- a gap between expectations and reality.
Are your valentine expectations realistic, or does the holiday cause you uneasiness? Talking about it with your spouse can help. The following section highlights three topics to discuss BEFORE the big day.
Things that can turn your Valentine dread into dreams.
Avoid a Valentine’s Day Letdown
Valentine’s Day is more than dreamy eyes and steamy kisses. It can be an opportunity to build a stronger connection with your spouse. And connection is what nourishes your relationship.
To avoid a holiday letdown, talk about it with your spouse. But do this BEFORE the big day. And make sure your discussion includes the following:
- Acknowledge your love for each other – and that you want the weekend to be special for BOTH of you.
- Confess that you’re not a mind reader – and ask your husband what he would enjoy the most.
- Don’t believe the lie that Valentine’s Day must meet some Hollywood standard of romance.
Valentine’s Day is a great time to celebrate romance. It’s also an opportunity to improve your marriage communication. So talk with your spouse. This can help you set realistic expectations and avoid letdowns – on Valentine’s Day or ANY day.
Boost Your Communication Skills
Mitch and I recently celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. In our experience, communication is a top factor in marriage. It’s the starting point for everything else.
The Parrotts wrote Love Talk to help couples communicate better. They also published some conversation starters to, well … get the conversation started!
Want a sample copy for your Kindle? Use this free reading app for your desktop, phone, or tablet. That way, you can “try before you buy” the book.
And be sure to get Love Talk Starters for Valentine’s Day, a three-page handout to download. It’s FREE, and it can spark some fun conversations with your spouse.
Try the Love Talk Workbooks
The Parrots added two workbooks to their Love Talk series. The workbooks help you personalize the concepts in the book – and put them to work in your relationship.
Love Talk | Love Talk Workbook for Women | Love Talk Workbook for Men
Wrapping It Up
Don’t let Valentine’s Day create unrealistic expectations or cause uneasiness. Talk things over with your spouse. Acknowledge your love, confess your need for understanding, and don’t believe the cultural lies. Connect with each other, and celebrate romance! ◻️
Related Posts
- 10 Heart-Pumping Date Ideas to Celebrate Valentine’s Day
- 14 Beautiful Bible Verses to Share for Valentine’s Day
- Connection in Marriage: How to Get Your Husband to Hear You
Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? Is it a dream or dread?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “Dream or Dread – How Do YOU Feel About Valentine’s Day?” A version of this post appeared on Blogger in 2016. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Happy Valentine’s Day! May this be a day of connection for you and your spouse. Enjoy the weekend, and celebrate your love!