When You’ve Found “The One” Go All In

Married couples are more trusting of their partners.

In the Pew study, one of the assessments asked participants to evaluate how much they trusted their partner to act in their best interest. Married adults scored higher in this area than those living together. I found a similar response in the research for my book, The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages. Specifically, happily married couples answered that they wanted the best for their spouse almost 100% of the time. And even among the most struggling couples, 97 percent said they cared about their mates.

Knowing that your spouse cares about you and wants the best for you provides a foundation of trust that allows you to feel more secure in your relationship. Imagine that your significant other has taken a joke a bit too far and hurt your feelings, has offered advice on dealing with your testy boss that goes against your instincts, or has initiated a difficult conversation about your relationship. Being confident that as a spouse they truly have your best in mind can influence your attitude . . . and, as a result, both your emotional and your verbal reaction.