According to the latest census data - Marriage and divorces, Australia 2016, couples who lived together prior to marriage accounted for 80.8% of all marriages registered in 2016, an increase from the 76.1% recorded in 1996. In 1975, just 16% of married couples had lived together first, and by 1981 cohabitation had doubled with 31% of married couples recording their pre-marriage cohabitation.

This year, my wife and I have set goals for ourselves individually, as a couple, family goals and work goals.

Since it often takes time to learn new strategies and because conflicts organically develop, make a commitment to evaluate your next conflict.

When dealing with conflict in your relationship, it's important to resist the urge to bring up past experiences that have already been resolved and reopen them for discussion. Acknowledging the current disagreement and working through the conflict by actively listening to your partner is a great goal.

Conflict is inevitable in relationships, but if dealt with in a healthy, productive, and respectful way, it can bring you closer as a couple and make your relationship stronger.

Conflict is inevitable in relationships, but if dealt with in a healthy, productive, and respectful way, it can bring you closer as a couple and make your relationship stronger.

The development of skills can all to easily become over-shadowed by the feedback process. Aiming for a balanced approach in which feedback and the development of skills (e.g. good listening skills and constructive ways of handling conflict) are both valued is a good goal.

The development of skills can all to easily become over-shadowed by the feedback process. Aiming for a balanced approach in which feedback and the development of skills (e.g. good listening skill and constructive ways of handling conflict) are both valued is a good goal.

Let’s be honest—you and your partner are going to have disagreements. Sometimes they’ll be small (What movie should we watch?), but sometimes they’ll be more serious (When are we going to have children?).

It’s important to resist the urge to bring up past experiences that have already been resolved and reopen them for discussion. Acknowledge the current disagreement and work through the conflict by actively listening to your partner. Respect your partner, remember you are on the same team, and know it’s okay to take a time out if you need to. While embracing the conflict and dealing with it can be uncomfortable, it can ultimately bring you closer as a couple.