Every day I want Dennis to feel that marrying me was the best choice he ever made. To accomplish that, I have chosen to treat him the way we treated our best customers in our business. That means finding out what he’s thinking and feeling that day and what he needs to be happy. That sounds simple, but as all of us know, it’s challenging to find the time to focus on one another while accomplishing what we call the “business side of marriage” (the everyday chores and scheduling that eat up our time). I try to find a way every day to show him that he’s foremost in my mind and heart. Sometimes that’s bringing him a cup of coffee in his favorite cup while he’s getting ready for work. Sometimes I take out the garbage for him if he’s already in bed, and I know he just forgot. Maybe it’s planning a meal that he can eat in front of television to watch the “Sweet Sixteen” basketball games without interruption. Finding the “sweet spot” of our relationship every day brings a rhythm that makes our marriage hum.

Dennis has made the same commitment to me. Once he thought about our “Customer Metaphor”, he decided to concentrate on my needs and desires. He finds ways to make my life sweeter. Sometimes I find a flower on the seat of my car. Other times he’s written a little note and tucked it under the keyboard of my computer. He offers to run an errand for me if he sees I’m running out of time. These love taps keep the romance alive and make our marriage “sticky”.

We have all heard we have to work at marriage. Our book, Give Your Spouse the Best Customer Service Ever,  identifies ten skills that clarify ways to make your marriage work. We teach them to you, so you can find pleasure each day in being a partner to your true love. Do we deal with hardships and rough spots? Yes, it hasn’t been a smooth road all the time for us, and we share what we learned during those times that helped us be even more committed to one another.

Please join us and share your thoughts as we journey together to keep our marriages healthy, fun and enduring.