I Don’t Consider Marriage An Achievement, But It Is Something I’m Proud Of

I didn’t necessarily grow up dreaming of a massive wedding and spending forever with my own personal Prince Charming, but I am extremely happy I’ve found an amazing life partner. Although marriage isn’t something that should define you, building a relationship with someone that’s healthy is something to feel good about.

  1. It’s not easy to find the right person. Finding someone you can see yourself spending forever with in a world full of jerks is really tough. It’s such a warm and fuzzy feeling to find a person you love and who loves you back without messing you around.
  2. Relationships can be good for you. Getting married to someone you absolutely adore is something that will bring joy to your life. That doesn’t mean you’re handing over the key to your happiness to someone else, but you can’t deny it’s exciting to find someone who works hard to make you happy. Why not enjoy that and be grateful for it?
  3. You get an opportunity many others don’t. There are people out there who are in love but won’t get the chance to marry their person. This could be because of bad timing, illness, premature death, or a host of other things. To be able to love the person you’re with and make such a huge commitment to them is really a blessing.
  4. You deserve a pat on the back. There are so many relationships that don’t make it to the altar. Heck, some don’t even make it to the third month. Reaching that relationship milestone, while not an achievement, should make you feel good about your partner and relationship overall, especially if you never thought you would have this in your life.
  5. You’ve overcome obstacles. It’s so easy for the person you’re dating to bounce the minute there’s an obstacle on the road. By the time you and your forever person have made it to your wedding, you’ve no doubt encountered some problems and issues and you’ve grown closer because of them. That’s a huge reason to feel proud of yourselves for making it.
  6. It says a lot about you. In some ways, being proud of making a relationship work says a lot about you. It says you’re a fighter, you’re passionate, and maybe you’ve grown since your previous relationships. This is worth being proud of! After all, a marriage doesn’t just happen. It takes two dedicated people who aren’t afraid of hard work to make it wonderful.
  7. You can (and should) be proud of your choice. Not to give yourself a big head or anything, but what’s wrong with saying, “I’m proud I married this person”? While some might say it’s vom-inducing, if you feel ecstatic about the choice you made in your forever person, that’s something to celebrate. After all, there are many people out there who make bad choices when it comes to who they marry. There’s no shame in feeling good about the choice you’ve made simply because it’s right for you and adds goodness to your already fabulous life.
  8. You’ve found something genuine. In a world of fakeness, finding someone who is the real deal is something that doesn’t happen that often. If you get to marry this person, you should feel proud to have them on your arm.
  9. True love rules. While you’re smiling about having someone so amazing in your life who has your back and loves you, it’s also important to feel good about being in a happy marriage. After all, who doesn’t love love? That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy being single if that’s what you want, but having love in your life can be amazing. If you’re lucky enough to have a forever person who makes you smile every day, that’s something to feel good about. Many unhappy marriages are out there, that’s all I’m saying…
  10. It’s great to find someone who wants forever. Some selfish people out there are dating with the sole purpose of getting what they want out of their partners and treating commitment like it’s a plague. Finding someone who wants to build a relationship that stands the test of time and enriches both of your lives is on another level.
  11. You’re proud of your friendships, so why not your marriage? There’s a bit of an unwritten rule out there that it’s OK for women to be proud of their besties and the friendships they’ve nurtured over the years, but they shouldn’t be proud of being married or share that on Facebook. It’s unfair and a bit of couple shaming, to be honest. Whether it’s a friendship or a marriage, it should still be valued. You should be comfortable to say, “I feel so proud that I have my bestie” in the same way you should say, “I feel proud to have this partner.” It’s an awesome feeling to know that your partner is proud of you too.
  12. It just feels so damn good to have a soulmate. Having a strong bond with someone, a soulmate bond, feels amazing. Not just magical, but it makes you feel like you’re a part of a team, you’re supporting each other, you’ve got someone there who loves you no matter what, and you’re stepping up to the plate of loving someone with all their flaws and issues. Heck, be proud to step up to the plate. It’s an honor.
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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