Posted on Mar 28, 2013

The Value of Inventiveness in Marriage

The value of inventiveness means the power of creative imagination.

Marriage Questions:

When your spouse introduces something fun to do, how do you respond?
Have you and your spouse ever bantered back and forth over an idea, until you formulated a really great concept?
When was the last time you and your spouse tried something outside your comfort zone?

Introducing Inventiveness

Is this a familiar conversation (between husband and wife)?

H: Where do you want to go and eat tonight?
W: I don’t know. Where do you want to go?
H: I don’t know. Fast food?
W: No. Something else.
H: A fancy restaurant?
W: Don’t feel like that tonight. How about something new?
H: Like what?
W: I don’t know.
H: Want to go downtown?
W: Too much traffic. How about the mall?
H: Don’t feel like that. Too many people.
W: Ok. What do you want to do?
H: Maybe we should order a pizza and watch a movie.
W: Um. I guess that’s ok.
H: Ok. What movie do you want to watch….

No creative imagination whatsoever. Feels like the power source for inventiveness has been drained. Or shut off. Or maybe it was never turned on in the first place.

So, what’s the solution? How do you introduce – or re-introduce – inventiveness into your marriage?

Here are three ways:

1) Review dating ideas from third party sources, such as The Dating Divas or The Romantic Vineyard. Pick one and try it. Let it become the catalyst for further ideas.

2) Change your environment. Go outside or to the local park. Sometimes, just changing location can start the creative juices flowing.

3) Read a fiction book or watch a movie that focuses on how a man and woman worked together to solve a major problem. Inspiring stories are a terrific catalyst for creative imagination.

I recently read a guest post on Jeff Goins site that provided a useful formula:
Information + Inspiration = Creation

When applied to marriages, many couples focus on the exchange of information – but all too often fail to provide anything new. Instead, what is needed is for each partner to go gather NEW information from various sources (and it’s good when the sources are new too). Then they can come together and share what each has learned. This in turn fosters inspiration to experience something new.

The secret to becoming more inventive in your marriage is taking action. Try things. Explore new ideas. Take some risks. But always together!