The great Irish poet William Butler Yeats spent his life yearning for the love of actress Maud Gonne, but he never got to marry her. Unlike Yeats, most married couples have the opportunity to express their love, and they shouldn’t waste it on disillusionment or conflict. For newlyweds, learning from couples who have already found marital happiness can be invaluable. In a viral Instagram video uploaded by @shemotivate_, three middle-aged couples share their advice for a lasting marriage in just four words. According to these husbands, the secret is simple: “happy wife, happy life!”
The clip, which has garnered over 83 million views in less than a week, opens with a man interviewing three couples. The first couple he interviewed were married for 25 years. “What’s your advice for couples that are looking to have a long and healthy relationship,” the man asks the husband. “Listen to your wife,” he gives a prompt response as his wife beside him bursts into giggles. “Whatever she says, goes.”
Next, the interviewer approaches a Cuban couple relaxing on the beach. “How long have you been married,” he asks the husband who answers that they’ve been together since they were 11 years old. When asked the same question about keeping a healthy marriage, he says aloud, “Do what she says.” That’s it. “Trust me,” he emphasizes, “She says something, you make it.”
The third couple is celebrating their golden anniversary. When asked about advice for a long and healthy marriage, the husband nonchalantly proclaims the four words, “She is the boss,” and mumbles “Ha ha ha!” “How did you learn that,” the husband was asked. He replied, “Over time.”
According to these three couples, the secret to a healthy and long-lasting marriage is simple, as the Instagrammer concluded in the post caption. “Women always have the final word.” However, at the same time, “marriage thrives on mutual respect, trust, and understanding.” Both partners need to work together, and “when love is at the center of every decision, happiness follows.” Scrolling down into the post, the Instagrammer goes on to share five tips for maintaining a healthy marriage that includes “leading with love,” “having open communication,” “trusting one’s intuition,” “knowing your strengths and speaking up when necessary,” and “remembering to laugh and play together.
Many viewers resonated with the couples’ advice for maintaining marital bliss, with several agreeing that the key lies in keeping the wife happy. For instance, @thereallaurareyes commented, “If a woman is truly happy she’ll treat her husband like a king.” @roseliggayu quipped poetically, “A good husband respects his wife. Happy wife, happy life.”
But not all agreed with this opinion. @hype_a1 and @fipa_queen.onlinebusiness gave the example of Adam and Eve saying that when Adam listened to his wife Eve, it didn’t lead them into a happy marriage, but rather its opposite. Others said they believe in the philosophy of “Happy spouse, happy house,” rather than “happy wife, happy life.”
You can follow @shemotivate_ on Instagram for more content on women’s empowerment and motivation.
