Psychiatrist William Glasser, MD and his wife, Carleen Glasser, MA, co-authored a marriage advice book called Eight Lessons for a Happier Marriage. In the book, they mention "seven deadly habits" (they like numbers, it seems) that can lead to marital strife. They are: criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and bribing.

Criticizing

Criticizing the one that is closest to you is pretty easy. You don't feel as judged or threatened by your spouse as you would by someone you don't know as well.

Blaming

If something goes wrong in your life, are you quick to blame your spouse? A much better attitude would be to make positive changes together.

Complaining

I used to be a big complainer. Actually I come from a long line of family complainers, all I might add who were in long marriages. Complaining to us is like eating a good meal. But, my spouse might not see it that way, so I try to be careful of doing too much of it and making sure it is not aimed at him.

Nagging

Uh, this one is a killer and one that most marriages deal with all of the time. Mostly it stems from wanting your spouse to do something for you or be someone else. If nagging is the big issue in your house, see if you can change it by either taking more responsibility for things in your life or accepting your spouse for who he is.

Threatening

Do you fling the "D" word around to carelessly? Do you use the kids or sex to threaten? No one should be threatened in life, especially in a marriage.

Punishing

Do you punish your spouse when you feel disappointed or hurt? Do you use the silent treatment or drop his toothbrush in the toilet when you are angry? As an adult, your spouse shouldn't be punished. It is better to talk things out and resolve them.

Bribing

Almost the bad other side of punishing, bribing can be equally dangerous. Sometimes people mistake bribing for compromise, but it isn't the same. If your care of your spouse is dependent on getting something in return, you are setting yourself up for a separation.

How would you break these seven habits?

Read other related articles,

1. The Gift of Unconditional Acceptance
   
2. Seek Help Early with Marriage Difficulties
   
3. Marriage and Money: Resenting Your Spouse
   

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