married to youWould You Want To Be Married To You?

I know that this might appear to be a strange question, yet I’m serious about it!  Would you want to be married to you?

In this world, so many people are self-centered and want to know what’s in it for them.  Their relationships, whether personal or business, are about what they are going to get, and seldom about what they are going to give.

And yet we all know that life is about balance.  Whether you believe in the old notions of karma or the updated “law of attraction” or none of the above, I’m sure you have some sense of “what goes around, comes around” or some variation of this.

It is no different in relationships.  And the long-lasting, truly intimate relationships are more focused on what there is to give to your partner.  It is about nurturing and sharing and caring and not so much a quid pro quo.

The giving is not about keeping score or about expectations.  It is about the pleasure in pleasing your partner and seeing that they are happy.  It is about service and a spirit of generosity.  You give because it FEELS GOOD to give, pure and simple.

And so I ask you the question, whether you are married or not, whether you are in a relationship or not, whether you even want to be – Would you want to be married to you?

Are you the kind of person that others want to be around?  Do people feel better knowing you, being in your presence, having you in their lives?  Are you contributing to the well being and growth of others?

If you are that kind of person, CONGRATULATIONS!

If you are not, you might want to rethink your life.  Ultimately, I believe that life is about creating or discovering meaning, not about accumulating and taking.  And a big part of that meaning (again, only in my opinion) is to be of service, to be of contribution.

When I teach my psychology graduate students about Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, the final stage is that of “Integrity versus Despair”.  As we get older and our life winds down, we look back and ask “Have I lived a full life? Have I lived a meaningful, accomplished life?”

If we can answer ourselves “Yes!” then we can face that final stage of life with integrity and peace.  If we answer “No” then we face despair.  AND, it’s never too late to create that full life, that integrity.

So back to the question, “Would you want to be married to you?”  I ask it for many reasons, but as the “Passion Doctor” on this blog, I can tell you that if you are the kind of person that you would want to be around, then you will most likely be living a fulfilled, meaningful life and be living a PASSIONATE relationship.

If the answer to the question is not to your liking, in addition to couples work, I help many people face existential dilemmas such as this and would love to support you in whatever way that I can.

Take care,

Dr. Adam Sheck

If you’ve enjoyed this article and want to learn more of my thoughts on this topic and about reigniting the passion in your relationship, please download my Free, Special Report, “20 Rituals for Romance!” at www.freepassiontips.com