The Marriage Counseling Blog

Here is a question for all married people – do you still have fun in your marriage? It’s a simple question, but perhaps I’ll make it a little harder – when was the last time you had fun in your marriage? And by the way, I don’t mean sex.

By fun, I mean a good laugh – perhaps a water fight, a food fight, a pillow fight, or a tickle war. These events can be such mood breakers and can really liven up a dull day – they also bring a smile to both of your faces for days to come. Of course, all of these need limits, otherwise they get out of hand and no longer become fun, or someone gets hurt.

Fun can also be a run in the park with the kids, a visit to a family theme park, or just sitting down in front of a really funny video. To be really effective, these fun times need to be regular, spontaneous, and definitely not scheduled. Fun breaks can last a couple of minutes to a couple of hours – the effects over time can be just what a marriage needs to get it back on track.

Having fun, laughing, and generally enjoying yourself releases endorphins and other chemicals into the body. These are positive chemicals – you’ll know when your body has released them because you’ll feel light hearted and relaxed for several hours after the event. And that’s the whole idea – to relax, to shake off any worries you have, and too forget the big bad world for five minutes – or even longer.

There is one thing that I always notice when people, especially families, have a lot of fun together – firstly, they are together, and that can be special. Secondly, these families always seem to hug a lot – and that can be a very special moment for families. So go ahead, take a few minutes out of your day to have some fun – it’s definitely allowed.

As a footnote to those who like to live a healthy lifestyle, medical research shows that people who laugh and have fun every day live a little longer than people who don’t – even more reason to relax and have fun.