However, closer scrutiny of their marriage revealed that it was their thinking patterns – ways they explained and interpreted their partner’s behavior to themselves – that strengthened, rather than weakened, their marriage.

Tom’s lack of self-confidence? No problem! This only made Beth feel very caring toward him. His stubbornness and obstinacy? Again Beth explained this to herself as “I respect him for his strong beliefs and it helps me have confidence in our relationship.”

Beth’s jealousy? Tom told himself: “This is a marker of how important my presence is in her life.” Beth’s shyness? No problem! Tom liked it because “she does not force me into revealing things about myself that I don’t want to… this attracts me to her even more.”

Marriage and health

Numerous studies have shown that health of your marriage plays a major role in determining your overall physical health. Healthy marriage – healthy body!

Hold on to your illusions

Being able to see things in your mate that your friends don’t is a very positive predictor of marital success according to recent research by a professor at State University of New York. Remarkably, satisfied couples see virtues in their partners that are not seen by their closest friends.

In contrast to this ‘illusion’ by happy couples, dissatisfied couples have a ‘tainted image’ of each other; they see fewer virtues in their mates than their friends do.

The happiest couples look on bright side of relationship (optimism). They focus on strengths rather than weaknesses and believe that bad events that might threaten other couples do not affect them.

But what if you are an optimist and your partner is a pessimist? That can work! Or, other way around? That can work too!

Unfortunately, if we're not careful when we plan, transport and serve that picnic, our outing might not end up happily.

Here are some tips to remember when planning an outdoor meal:

1. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bacteria multiply quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees. Foods that have been kept at unsafe temperatures are a prime source of foodborne illnesses.

2. Plan ahead and try to take foods that don't spoil so quickly. At any rate, don't eat anything that's been sitting out for more than an hour, especially if temperature is over 80.

3. Try to take only amount of food that will be eaten, so there will be no leftovers.

4. Pack your food with ice or cold packs in an insulated cooler. Place foods that will be eaten last in bottom. You can make your own blocks of ice by freezing water in milk cartons or other plastic containers.

Place ice blocks or cold packs between containers of food, never just place containers of food on top of ice.