Getting over an infidelity isn’t easy. Having trust broken by the person who is supposed to love you more than anyone else in the world is the worst betrayal a married couple can go through.
Relationships on Female First
After learning of an affair in your marriage, the most common reactions are shock, anger, and sadness. But, what do couples do once the dust has settled? Is there any way to get back what was lost in the aftermath of infidelity?
The answer is undoubtedly yes. Couples can come back stronger than ever after cheating. Here are the signs your relationship will survive after infidelity and 5 ways your marriage will become stronger because of it.
Getting Over Infidelity
Going through an affair can make you feel like your safe, happy corner of the world has just been shattered, yet many couples decide to try and save their marriage after infidelity. Here are 3 key steps for getting over an affair and getting back to a healthy marriage that is stronger than ever.
End the Affair
It should go without saying that in order for someone to get over an affair, the affair actually has to be over. This means cutting off all communication and letting the other person know under no uncertain terms that the affair is over.
Studies show that online affairs are increasingly being cited as a reason for divorce and pose a significant threat to married couples. It is important to block and delete your affair from social media accounts and cellphones, along with that get rid of the mementos from the relationship such as photos or gifts.
The cheating partner cannot expect to rebuild their marriage if they are not committed to ending their affair.
Work on Rebuilding Trust
This is the most essential step toward recovering from infidelity in marriage. In order to rebuild a satisfying relationship, both partners need to trust each other.
Many spouses feel that transparency is key after infidelity has occurred, which can include calling if you’re going to be late, always staying true to your word, showing up when you say you will, and letting your partner have full access to your devices.
Seek Help
Seeing a professional is a great way to re-establish communication in a broken marriage. A marriage counselor will help you and your spouse to create a “healing” plan for your future, can help you identify troubled areas in the marriage that may have led to the breakdown in communication and connection, and will help you work through the pain you are feeling post-affair.
Signs Your Relationship Will Survive Cheating and Grow Stronger
Affairs happen for all sorts of reasons, but often one person feels there is something lacking from their current relationship before seeking someone outside the marriage to engage with. This is a harsh slap in the face to the wounded spouse, but there is hope to get over an affair.
Here are some positive signs your marriage will survive adultery and become even stronger.
You have made trust a priority
It isn't easy to repair trust after infidelity has occurred. In some instances, it may even take years for the betrayed spouse to trust their partner again. When couples are determined to be accountable to one another it is a good sign that the marriage will survive.
You have renewed confidence
An affair is one of the quickest ways to make a spouse feel insecure. Cheating can make the affected spouse question their sexual prowess, love, and worth. This can lead not only to marital unhappiness, but to personal depression as well.
When couples make it a practice to build each other up and boost self-confidence they strengthen each other’s self-esteem and give consistent reassurance of their love and affection.
You’ve strengthened your communication
Whether you have experienced infidelity in your relationship or not, communication is always going to be the key player in maintaining a healthy marriage. Staying in touch with your feelings, talking to one another, and patiently listening to one another are all excellent stepping stones for strengthening the marriage and getting over infidelity.
Going through an affair has also given you and your spouse the opportunity to talk about a wide variety of problems and situations. Not only does this help you both get in touch with your feelings, but also gives you the opportunity to get to know one another better than you did before the affair occurred.
You take responsibility
There is no excuse for cheating. Partners who are tempted to cheat should talk it out with their spouse. Period. But, that doesn't mean there aren't issues in the relationship caused by both spouses. When both parties can accept responsibility for what has gone wrong in the marriage, it is a positive step toward healing.
Now when disagreements occur that upset your partner, you’re able to show humility and apologise for any wrongdoing you may have been a part of.
You're spending time together
Infidelity can break trust, romance, and friendship in a marriage with one single swoop. Couples strengthen their marriage after an affair by spending time doing activities and sharing in a date night together. This shows that they are invested in repairing their bond.
Spending quality time together regularly, such as through a weekly date night, is also a great way to get to know each other on a deeper level and build respect. It is also an excellent opportunity to repair the sexual chemistry that was no doubt damaged after learning of the affair.
Infidelity is a tough pill to swallow, but married couples who put forth the effort to reconnect after an affair come away stronger. Couples can get back to a healthy marriage by making trust a priority, showing appreciation for one another daily, building emotional intimacy, and communicating regularly.
Author Bio: Rachael Pace is a relationship expert with years of experience in training and helping couples. She has helped countless individuals and organizations around the world, offering effective and efficient solutions for healthy and successful relationships. She is a featured writer for Marriage.com, a reliable resource to support healthy happy marriages.
Social Profiles : https://twitter.com/Rachael_Pacee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-pace-a341a4143/