So my homegirl recently put me on to a very fascinating show called ‘Married at First Sight.’ Here’s the premise:
Three men and three women agree to have experts pick their mates, without meeting them first. Over a six week span, they will go on a honeymoon, move in together, and see if they can make their marriage work.
Regardless of whether or not the show is scripted is really besides the point. There are important lessons to take away from the show on the concept of marriage, and what all really goes into it.
It’s not about the wedding guys, as much as Instagram and Facebook will fool you into thinking. Marriage. Is. Work.
A few things I’ve taken from ‘Married at First Sight’ Season Two:
-Valuable Lessons on Communication-
It’s not always about who is right or who is wrong. It’s about how both parties contribute to both the problem and the solution. Both parties have to be committed to each other 100%. They both have to WANT to improve their relationship when things go awry.
It’s important to pay attention to your partner’s triggers, and they should learn yours too.
Low blows are never the way to go. People forgive, but they don’t forget, and words do hurt.
-Marriage is Work-
It is not a Disney movie. It’s not smiles and cheer all day everyday. It it work, it is sacrifice, it is selflessness. You could tell that some of the people in the experiment were not ready or willing to do the work to sustain and build their relationship.
-You can GROW to love someone-
Stop trying to predict who your ‘Prince/Princess Charming’ will be, or what he will look like, or where you will meet. You don’t fucking know. And it’s guaranteed that he or she will not be what you imagined.
-Affection and Sex are IMPORTANT-
They will never stop being important. An absence of either will have you or your partner looking elsewhere to fill that void.
-Say how you really FEEL-
Don’t sugarcoat shit. Don’t avoid shit. Take on every problem as it comes and always be honest with each other. Don’t expect the other person to ‘just know.’ That’s stupid.
Anyways, I love the show, I love the concept. Everyone should watch it, take notes, and keep it in mind when you’re out there searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right.
