With the divorce rate in the U.S. as high as it is, it’s important not to look at marriage lightly. Many people may feel nervous about choosing the wrong spouse, so here are a few things to be on the lookout for before deciding to take the plunge.

First, consider your partner’s past. The best predictor of someone’s future behavior is often what they did in the past. Have they typically been an unfaithful partner? Probably not the best idea to marry them. In the same vein, if he’s got a lot of sordid love stories and bitter exes, you may want to wonder why.

Consider both of your needs – currently.  Are you religious? Do you want kids? More importantly, do you need someone to agree with you on these big-ticket things? Generally speaking, yes. If you and your partner clash on a heavy-handed issue, it doesn’t bode well for the future.

That said, focus on who your partner is NOW, not who they might be down the line. For example, if you’re both in college and your partner is studying law – will it matter to you if ten years down the road, your partner just has a mountain of student loan bills instead of a prestigious law job? These, again, are things to think about – whether you will be happy with your partner as is, or if you need ‘extras.’

Another piece of advice: If there’s no spark, forget having a future. Emotional and financial stability are great things, but they don’t make a relationship. If there’s absolutely no physical spark, it’s not going to work out long-term.

Tags: marriage, relationships
Categories: Tips and advice