Not a Financial Calculation

Through difficult times spouses give each other support---one of the benefits of marriage---but what strengthens marriage are celebrations of each other's success:

Studies show that demonstrating appreciation for your partner not only makes the other person feel better, it makes you feel better, too.

One of the best ways to show your spouse you really care is to go out of your way to celebrate good things that happen to him or her. Think of it as leveraging the positive. Researchers call it "capitalization" and say it is just as important—and maybe more so—than being supportive in tough times.

It's no surprise that an article about "capitalization" appears in the Wall Street Journal, but it's not the usual kind that business people are used to working with. If done right though, this form of capitalization could be more important to one's happiness than any financial calculation.