Let's say your marriage is in trouble, and you don't know what to do. Should you just passively accept that divorce is inevitable, or should you stand up and fight? Fighting in this case doesn't mean to come out swinging, but it does mean that there are simple strategies you can use to get your marriage back where you want it to be. There is always hope, right up until the final papers are signed, and if you apply the following steps to preserve your marriage, you just might be surprised at how well you'll be able to turn your life around.

How long has it been since you and your spouse really talked to each other? I'm not talking about passing comments about the weather or the children, but actually discussed the two of you and your relationship? When your lives are hectic with jobs and family, it can be easy to lose sight of the major priority in your lives - your marriage. However, when communication breaks down, your partnership will soon follow. How can you expect to remain emotionally on the same wavelink as your spouse without sharing the things they are going on in your lives? No matter what it takes, you've got to get those lines of communication open and running again. If needs be, you can go so far as to make a talking date with your spouse so that you'll both reserve the time you need to talk.

Compromise is also a big must in re-building your relationship. Think about the things that really matter in your life, and try to ignore those that aren't going to be life-altering. Prioritize the things that matter most, like your marriage, and don't let any small issues get in the way. A good rule of thumb is to never dispute the points that aren't going to matter tomorrow. If you need to, take the initiative by extending the hand of compromise to your spouse first. Demonstrate the way you'd like your spouse to act, and you just might find him or her starting to meet you halfway.

Think back to the days leading up to your nuptials when you are your spouse were blissfully in love. You didn't hesitate to show your love and affection then, did you? Has that changed? Most likely, if your marriage is in trouble, you no longer are showing each other how much you love them. How many marriages do you suppose have fallen apart just because one or both of the partners feels that the other no longer loves and respects him or her? It happens all the time. You can't just assume that your partner knows that you love them. You have to show it in your daily life.