The rate of divorce is alarming. Many people you meet or someone you know is a child of divorce. For those who have been through divorce as a child and vow to never go through it in their own marriage, there are ways to be a better spouse. The thing to remember is to implement it and follow through it all.

A relationship that is flourishing comes down to one big reason: the partners are suitable for one another. It is imperative for people to choose their mates carefully. Everyone wants to be in a relationship where there is peace and not turmoil and anger. Once you decide to settle down with someone you feel is the right one, there are 7 ways you can learn to become a better spouse.

(1) Listening to Your Partner - It is critical to give your partner your undivided attention. If it seems you are always doing something else when you partner is speaking, then you usually know if you are being rude. By giving him or her 50 percent of your attention, you are basically saying your partner isn’t worthy any time or effort in the relationship.

If it seems your significant other is always bothering you, it may be time to do some talking about it. This is especially true if the significant other does the interrupting during a vital task.

(2) Tone of Voice - Be sensitive enough about how you speak to your spouse. Many people are guilty of taking their anger out on someone else. Usually it is the spouse that bears that brunt of it. Just try to remember that you are talking to another human. Most people are unaware that their tone of voice is sharp especially when they are stressed out.

(3) Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember that how you treat others can reflect your attitude and your personality.

(4) What is Important to Your Partner - Many men do not understand women’s endless supply of shoes and she may not understand why her husband needs so many Xbox or PS3 games. Men and women should remember that their partner is not them. A relationship is a series of teamwork projects. What you consider important and of value will greatly vary. If your values are considerably different from one another, you may have picked the wrong person for you.

(5) Couples Decide on Relationship - No one but you and your spouse should decide on your relationship. That does not mean you cannot listen to other’s opinions and make a judgment based on what you know and the outside opinion.

(6) Forget the "Understand Me" Approach - Everyone in a relationship wants to be heard and everyone wants to be understood. However, if it causes a rift and fight in the relationship about a matter of no importance, then it is probably last to let go.

(7) Settle Huge Issues Soon - When there is an issue that causes a huge fight, it is always best to get it out of the way quickly. By doing so, couple can live more in a harmonious manner. An issue that tends to spiral into fights quickly and cause divorces is money. When one person wants the money spent one way and the other wants to save it, this tends to be a big fight component. The key word in finding ways to be a better spouse is compromise whether it is money issues or something else.

Everyone wants a relationship with someone. No one wants to grow old alone and implementing these seven ways to be a better spouse is a step in that direction. The two most important things to remember here is compromise and listening.