16 Dangers All Marriages Face (and How to Get Past Them)

No matter how much you love your spouse, if you're married long enough, you're going to get a little bored. Don't worry, they'll get bored of you, too. It doesn't mean you need to do something stupid like cheat, but it does mean you need to change up your routine. Shake things up and shake that boredom away.

Sometimes a cheating spouse is just a cheating spouse, but more often than not there's a ramp up on both sides that leads to one cheating. Some marriages recover from infidelity, some don't. But the best way to recover from a cheating spouse, is to deal with issues beforehand. And, oh yeah, don't marry someone who was a cheater prior to the ceremony. Even if they didn't cheat on you, they will.

The leading cause of stress in the march toward divorce is financial strain. Every married couple has, and will, be there. It's how you deal with it that defines the relationship. So make your budgets, live within them and don't fight over finances. Work together to live within what you have. Oh, and ask for a raise. You probably deserve it!

Life is full of distractions and obligations. But by not prioritizing your partner, you put your relationship in jeopardy. Eventually, everyone wants to feel important, especially to their partner.

There's no accounting for just how stressful everyone's job can be, but bringing that stress home and taking it out on your family can cause major marriage strain. It's important to separate yourself from your work and to find ways of decompressing so you don't bring that bad day at work home to the family.

It's great to give your kids your all, but not at the expense of your marriage. Giving all your attention to the little ones means you're not saving any for your spouse, which can start a chasm in any relationship. Take time for each other, pay attention to one another and, for goodness sake, spend some time alone. The kids will be fine!

If you leave before your partner is awake and return home after your partner has gone to bed, that never-ending commute is going to start to break down your marriage. If you can't move closer to work, maybe your boss will let you work from home one day a week or leave earlier on occasion so you can see your family in daylight hours.

If you or your partner travels often, or for long chunks of time for work, that distance can cause a distance in your relationship. So try to cut work trips down the minimum, even if that has you flying a red-eye or an early morning flight to get back a bit earlier. And why not take your spouse with you on occasion and make a vacation out of it?

You said you were over it, but you weren't. Now you're harboring resentment, and he doesn't know why. Avoided long enough, that resentment can cause one to stew themselves into a huge fight or a break-up. So don't say you're over something when you're not. And when you've got something on your mind, speak up. Your marriage depends on it.

Unless you're lying to keep a birthday surprise from him, or he's planning an amazing vacation for you, there's nothing good that can come out of you lying to your spouse. That means honesty and that also means you can't hold it against your spouse when he or she is honest with you. It goes both ways.

Not being able to trust your spouse can make for a very strained marriage. Likewise, not trusting your spouse when they've done nothing to deserve it can also lead to a strain. So deal with whatever rift has you not trusting one another. And if you're prone to not trusting anyone, work on that. Your spouse doesn't want to fee like he or she is constantly being watched. No one does.

Big families are great, except when they get in the way of your marriage. So if your family or your partner's family are getting in the way, set some boundaries. They may not like it, but they'll respect you for prioritizing your marriage.

There are few things as exciting or as stressful as a home remodel project. The strain can cause tremendous discord in any household and can have you not actually wanting to move into your dream house once it's done. Make sure you and your spouse have a budget that you've agreed to with your contractor and give yourself some wiggle room on the estimated time and spending, since no home project ever ends on time or on budget. Save yourself the stress and just plan for it.

Whether your child is going through a difficult phase, has a high-need temperament, or has special needs that require all your love and attention, the strain on a marriage can be great. Give yourself breaks on your own to do things that have nothing to do with your child and take time with your spouse to get out and have some fun. And no, don't get out and talk about your child.

No one wants to admit it, but sometimes spouses can check out of the marriage. If it's more than a temporary state, it can lead to marriage discord or divorce. Don't be afraid to talk about why you or your partner are mentally not there. It's better to hear the truth than be blindsided by it later.

One of the hardest things about sustaining a long-term marriage is that each person in the relationship will grow and change. The hard part is growing and changing together. So the more willing you and your partner are to be flexible with each other's interests, time and passions, the more likely you are to grow together not apart.