Avoid Getting a Divorce

Your marriage looks like its over and your spouse has told you s/he wants a divorce. Perhaps s/he's even moved out. Maybe s/he's even having an affair. How do you stop fighting? How do you get him/her to change his/her mind and stay?

Steps

 * 1)  Act Happy.  Your spouse fell in love with a happy person whose world lit up every time s/he walked into the room.  It's understandable you're unhappy that s/he's pulling away from you, but the more you cling, need, and desperately try to hang on, the more unhappy you are (since it's obvious by now that s/he's leaving you), and the less and less you are the person s/he once fell in love with.  Be honest with yourself:  Would you want to spend the rest of your life with someone who's been acting the way you have been acting lately?  If you're happy, carefree, lighthearted, freindly, and fun to be around, s/he will want to be around you.  S/he will start to gravitate (slowly but surely) back to you.  But since right now you're not verry happy at all, Act Happy.
 * 2)   Agree to everything your partner says.  Does you partner want to empty the bank account and buy a sports car?  Say "I agree, it would be great fun to buy a flash car.  Let's go to the auto show this weekend, pretend we're filthy rich, and go for some test drives."  Notice how you bypassed (for the time being) emptying the bank account and instead focused on his(her) feelings.  Does your partner say you don't do enough chores around the house?  Say "Yes, I agree, I don't do any where near as much work around the house as you do.  I understand how upset that must make you feel at times."  Notice how you bypassed (for the time being) actually doing the chores, and instead focused on her(his) feelings.
 * 3)  Please write the rest of this article!  We need advanced agreement techniques for when your partner wants to spend beyond your means or empty the bank account on a sports car!  We need advanced agreement techniques for when your spouse "backs you in a corner".  We need most of all how to address the bypassed issue when it rears it's ugly head!

Tips

 * Agree to everything your partner says. If your spouse calls you a lazy good for nothing bum, say "Yes, I'm no Donald Trump (Condolezza Rice), that's for sure!"
 * Shut up. A lot.
 * Listen. A lot.
 * Do not defend any of your actions.
 * And our final tip is the same as the first step: Act Happy.  Because remember, if after doing all the steps and tips listed here, the marrage still ends in divorce, the best revenge is living well.

Warnings

 * You should not try to fix a broken relationship if you spouse is or has physically harmed you, your children, or your family or given any sign of physical aggression. Instead, you should seek immediate protection from physical harm.  Contact your local shelter, police, family, or freinds and tell them you need help.

Related

 * How to Be Happy After Divorce
 * How to Hire a Divorce Lawyer
 * How to Deal With Children in a Divorce Situation
 * How to Handle Divorce Anger
 * How to Be Happy in an Unhappy Marriage