Healthy relationships cannot exist without mutual respect for each other’s privacy. This is why boundaries are so important in marriage.

Privacy in marriage is perfectly fine but secrecy is not. Privacy allows spouses to keep certain things that are not suitable for public consumption to themselves. For instance, you don’t want an audience when they are using the bathroom and it is perfectly fine to keep this private. It is not a secret that you are using the bathroom but there is no reason to announce it. Secrecy, on the other hand, occurs when someone purposely withholds information that could potentially affect the status of the relationship.

What should be Private in Marriage?

Romantic past- Before sharing your romantic past with your spouse, you should think about the emotions that it might evoke. You don’t want to share something that might leave your spouse feeling insecure.

Thoughts & Opinions- You are not obligated to share every single thought or opinion with your spouse. This applies to what you think about your loved one’s job, relatives, dressing and any other sensitive topics.  There is no use hurting your partner with your opinion unless it is actually useful.

Political views – Political views are a major cause of disagreements in marriage. What many couples fail to realize, however, is that it is possible for two people with completely different political views to happily coexist under one roof. They just have to learn to respect each other’s views.

What Should Not Be Private in Marriage?

If you are going to have a healthy relationship, you must strive to create a secret –free environment. If you eliminate secrets from your relationship, your spouse won’t feel the need to snoop. Here are some things that should always be laid out in the open.

Email – If your spouse asks for the password to your email account, give it to him or her. It shows your spouse that you have nothing to hide and builds their trust in you.

However, keep in mind that having your spouse’s password is not reason enough for you to constantly go through their email account. If you need something from your partner’s email account, ask for permission before you log in.

Cell phone- It is wrong to go through your husband’s or wife’s cell phone without his or her permission. On the other hand, it also wrong to hide your phone from your spouse. Your partner should always have access to your phone.

Daily activities- Your spouse should be well informed about your daily activities at work and out of work. If you are going to be away from home on business, discuss the details of your travel with your partner. This enables the two of you to remain intimately connected even when you are miles away from each other.

Money- Money is usually a big issue in marriage. Both parties should be open about how much money they have, how much they are expecting and how they intend to spend it. This way they are both aware of each other’s financial status.

Mutual respect for privacy is necessary for healthy relationships. In fact, any couple that desires a healthy and happy marriage must be prepared to establish boundaries in marriage.  Try it today and watch your marriage flourish.