6 Effective Ways Of Maintaining Friendships After Marriage

6 Effective Ways Of Maintaining Friendships After Marriage

Marriage is the beginning of a new relationship and after getting into this relationship, a lot of things are left behind. Often people say that everything changes after marriage but it happens to some extent. This happens because the responsibilities of a girl or boy increase after marriage and the priorities change. Moreover, your life changes a lot after having a baby.

That's why most people are unable to keep in contact with their friends after getting married. Your life starts revolving around kids and family. In such a state they don’t get a chance to meet or talk to friends.  All these changes can affect your relationship with your friends. 

However, for marriage, it is important to keep pace with your partner, especially when it comes to friendship. Disputes can arise when one person needs to be social and other wishes for alone time. Considerate and accepting each other's differences are thus important to develop friendships within your own relationships and to develop friendships with others.

Friendship is unique in all relationships. Friends support us, don’t let us feel lonely and are with us in every situation (good or bad). Good friends will always understand that your best friend should be your soul mate. But we often keen to have a relationship with friends, despite having a close relationship with our spouse and children.

Here are some ways of maintaining friendships after marriage.

1. Maintain Balance

Spouse and friend are both an important part of your life and also both also are a good support system for you. It is necessary to maintain a balance between these two so that no one feels neglected. Identify the different priorities sought by both; because if friendship is important then the spouse is also essential. 

The characteristics of friendship are unique because it constitutes a carefree union. There is neither much expectation nor commitment in friendships. Whereas, expectation and commitment, these two are the foundation of any marriage. Therefore, be clear about both and get maximum enjoyment of both the relationship.

2. Set Limits

No matter how old your friendship is, after marriage, you should always set some limits on the level of commitment that you can deal with. You have to make understand your friends that after marriage your priorities have changed and you may not be able to spend the same time with them which you were mostly doing earlier.

But at the same time assure them that even though you are not able to give them much time, they are still an integral part of your life, you still care about them and they mean a lot to you.

3. Make Time For Yourself

To maintain any relationship it is very important to give time to that relationship. After getting married and having a baby, it becomes difficult to find time for oneself. So it becomes difficult to meet old friends, to be included in your to-do list. 

But to keep friends for a long time it is necessary to keep in touch with friends and you should try to make time for your friends. In such circumstances, you can get in touch with them through an occasional phone call or message, or through social networking apps.

If you want to spend time meeting your friends and agree on a plan, talk to your spouse. From your committed schedule, taking a little time in a few weeks or months may not be that difficult. A person who meets once in a few weeks or months can also act as an attraction. These can help you to revive good memories and provide happiness in the company of your friends.

4. Share And Listen    

Every person's life changes after marriage. Many new experiences come, with spouse and having a baby. Maybe you are very excited to share these experiences with your friends.

But when you meet your friends and try to monopolize the conversation with stories about your husband or wife or the latest baby melodrama, it may be a boring topic for your single friend. It may also happen that friends who are married also don’t have much interest in these talks.

Actually your friends want to hear what's going on; simultaneously they also want to talk to you about their lives. So be a good listener and stick to common topics where you and your friends can take the conversation with ease.

5. Make New Friends

After marriage, it is possible that you will not be able to socialize with your friends as before. It’s not that you don’t try, but even after your best efforts, you fail, don’t be disappointed because you can also connect with new friends. 

Friendship doesn’t last forever even after desiring. As we move forward in life, we naturally choose new friends and old friends may have to let go. It’s not like that that your friendship will end after marriage and having a baby. It may happen that your friends change. Recognizing friendship, whether new or old, is important to all of us. You can also be friends with your spouse's friends; it would be a good idea to have a common friend circle of both of you.

6. Don’t Leave Any Chance To Reconnect

As mentioned earlier, life changes after marriage and due to this, we lose contact with some of our friends. But, after many years, if both of you again come face-to-face, then give your old friends a chance to revive. 

It may be that your friendship will not be the same now as both of you have changed. But this is a chance to make a new friendship again. Don’t miss it!

Tips To Maintain Friends After Marriage

  • If you are working, you can spend some time and meet friends when you are your way to home.
  • You can also meet your friends while shopping.
  • Introduce your spouse with your friends so that later on you can plan to go somewhere with friends.
  • Invite friends on the festivals and any other occasion at home.
  • If it is not possible to meet then be in touch through calls, messages, social media etc.

Marriage is a lifetime bond. But still, this bond can’t keep us apart from friends. Just as marriage is important in life, friends are also important. Just, some effort to be made so that, friendship continues even after marriage. A very beautiful saying applies here “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.