I’m 38 now and I can say with certainty that marriage has changed me, thankfully for the better. After 12 years of life with Michael, I’m more confident, more steady, more aware of who I want to be. I’ve become convinced that marriage or any long-term partnership changes both of the people in it. I don’t think you can live with another person and come out the other side without being changed. But are those changes always for the good? I’m not sure, so I reached out to 16 women who’ve been married or partnered for at least five years to find out how they’ve been changed — in both good and challenging ways. Read on for some fascinating glimpses into the truth about married life. More from CafeMom: 10 Wives Reveal What a ‘Good Marriage’ Really Means “Over the last 10 years, his passion for running has rubbed off on me and I’ve started getting more active. I even ran a marathon a few years ago, which still shocks me! He’s shown me that I’m capable of a lot more than I ever thought I was.” — Leslie D., Altoona, Iowa “I don’t think he set out to convert me to being a Democrat. I think he was just more passionate about politics than I was and is a better critical thinker than I used to be. He’s forced me to have hard conversations about race, gender, sexuality — all that stuff. And now we can share a passion for hating Donald Tiny Hands Trump.” — Sue T., Tucson, Arizona More from CafeMom: Quiz: Will Your Marriage Last? “But I’m also aware that this might just be a bad season, so I’m trying not to think I’ll feel this way forever. Right? I guess he’s changed me into someone who is willing to walk through sh*t for longer than I would have expected.” — Name withheld by request “I’ve learned to have more fun because of him. I’ve learned to spend money on things just because we want them or they’re fun (like our new kayak!). We travel more and save less and I’m okay with it. He’s helped me see that life is short and we need to make the most of it.” — Carrie S., Lakeville, Minnesota
title: “16 Women Get Real About How Marriage Changed Them” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-09” author: “Nora Robles”
I’m 38 now and I can say with certainty that marriage has changed me, thankfully for the better. After 12 years of life with Michael, I’m more confident, more steady, more aware of who I want to be. I’ve become convinced that marriage or any long-term partnership changes both of the people in it. I don’t think you can live with another person and come out the other side without being changed. But are those changes always for the good? I’m not sure, so I reached out to 16 women who’ve been married or partnered for at least five years to find out how they’ve been changed — in both good and challenging ways. Read on for some fascinating glimpses into the truth about married life. More from CafeMom: 10 Wives Reveal What a ‘Good Marriage’ Really Means “Over the last 10 years, his passion for running has rubbed off on me and I’ve started getting more active. I even ran a marathon a few years ago, which still shocks me! He’s shown me that I’m capable of a lot more than I ever thought I was.” — Leslie D., Altoona, Iowa “I don’t think he set out to convert me to being a Democrat. I think he was just more passionate about politics than I was and is a better critical thinker than I used to be. He’s forced me to have hard conversations about race, gender, sexuality — all that stuff. And now we can share a passion for hating Donald Tiny Hands Trump.” — Sue T., Tucson, Arizona More from CafeMom: Quiz: Will Your Marriage Last? “But I’m also aware that this might just be a bad season, so I’m trying not to think I’ll feel this way forever. Right? I guess he’s changed me into someone who is willing to walk through sh*t for longer than I would have expected.” — Name withheld by request “I’ve learned to have more fun because of him. I’ve learned to spend money on things just because we want them or they’re fun (like our new kayak!). We travel more and save less and I’m okay with it. He’s helped me see that life is short and we need to make the most of it.” — Carrie S., Lakeville, Minnesota
