Having a happy marriage is every couple’s dream. However, in order to be happily married, spouses need to support each other emotionally. Marriage should not feel as if you are doing business together. It should feel like you are best mates with your spouse.

When you are emotionally supportive towards your spouse, you actively avoid doing negative things to them such as belittling or yelling at them. You also go out of your way to do things to let your spouse know that you are there for him/her. This includes things such as:

Wishing your spouse well

One of the easiest ways to support your spouse emotionally is by wishing them well. This means having a genuine desire to see your spouse happy.

By wishing your spouse well, you are basically saying to them that you care about them and want things to go well for them. Your spouse can see this good will in our eyes and hear it in your voice.

Empathizing with your spouse

Empathizing with your spouse is simply having an emotional understanding of what it’s like to be in your spouse’s shoes. Empathy doesn’t require you to agree with your spouse or disregard your own feelings on the matter. It only requires you to pay attention when your spouse is speaking so that you can get a sense of what it is to be them and to look beneath the surface for any hidden feelings or past experiences that may be influencing your spouse’s behavior in the current situation.

Reassuring your spouse

It is your duty to reassure your spouse that they are going to get through whatever challenge they are facing and that you will be with them every step of the way.  This helps to relieve their anxiety and give them confidence in spite of the issue at hand.

You can reassure your spouse by touch, reminding them of their strengths so that they feel confident dealing with the issue at hand or helping them to see the big picture so that the issue at hand seems less difficult.

Showing your spouse love

When your spouse is in distress the last thing they need is being rejected or pushed away.  Being loving towards them is one of the best ways to show your spouse emotional support during difficult times.  Small loving gestures such as smiles, hugs and back rubs can reassure your spouse of your love when they most need it.

It is impossible to have a happy marriage without emotionally intimacy. This is why married couples must strive to nurture emotional intimacy through good will, empathy, constant reassurance and small loving gestures.