Many couples spend more time planning their wedding than preparing for their marriage. The problem with this is that the wedding lasts only a day, but marriage is intended to last a lifetime. Research has shown that the number one predictor of whether a marriage will last is how a couple resolves conflict.
Conflict is inevitable.
How you handle conflict is the single most important predictor of whether your marriage will survive. Dr. Markman, along with Dr. Clifford Notarius of Catholic University of America, found that the following behavior patterns usually signal an impending collapse in the marriage. When either partner withdraws from the conflict. The tendency to escalate conflict in the face of disagreement and the inability to stop fights before they get ugly. The tendency to invalidate the relationship by hurling insults at each other.