The 80/20 Rule

For those of you familiar with Tyler Perry movies - especially the "Why Did I Get Married" series, you have heard about the 80/20 rule.

This rule states that most of us get 80% of what we need from a marriage yet we tend to go after the 20% that someone outside can provide for us because it appears to be more to you when it really isn't.

Be mindful of that when you see the 20% you think you are missing in someone else. Would you really chance losing the 80% you have???

Every marriage has ups and downs, the key is how you and your spouse handle them. It is much easier to be frustrated and walk away then it is to stay put, stick it out and work through it. When we are in the moment whether it is the moment we are struggling with our spouse or the moment we are thinking the "20" has so much to offer us, we don't think clearly about the "80" and how hard it would be to live without.

I encourage you to keep a short list (maybe 5 things) about your spouse that make them the person you love and want to spend the rest of your life with...and then review the list often and remind yourself why you chose them...especially when you think the "20" is really looking good.

I will close with a quote from Pastor Steven...who must have seen these movies:

"Think long & hard before leaving the 80% you love in an attempt to find the missing 20% elsewhere. Stay planted."