Michael Ealy Explains Why You Should Live With Your Partner Before Marriage
Love has its twists and turns but can be very rewarding when both partners are on board with making the best out of the situation. From the dates to chill Netflix nights, dating can be really fun and exciting. If things go as plan, consistent dates and holidays together usually stirs up the option of marriage.
Merging your life with your loved one can seem like a dream but Ealy thinks that it is crucial that you live with your partner before marriage comes into the discussion. Simple things that you deal with a couple of times a week or month will be an everyday thing once you’re married. It’s crazy that things like dirty dishes or the toilet seat being left up are things that truly can make you despise your partner.
The star of the new feature film, The Intruder, explained to xoNecole, “Marriage is hard and living with somebody is cohabitation. If you really want to try and make it last forever, you might want to do a little test run.”
In his explanation, he says that a couple should move in for at least three months before making a commitment to get married. In his opinion, this is essential to ensure longevity in a relationship.
“Love doesn’t always conquer everything. I think there’s certain habitual issues that can come up and you know, just kind of divide people over time,” he explained. “Let’s be honest, in a relationship, there are certain issues that really irritate you about the person. And the question is, before you get married, can you handle that long-term? Because you can’t expect them to change.”
The 45-year-old actor has been married since 2012 to Khatira Rafiqzada and together they have two children so maybe he’s a credible source. To make it to marriage and actually stay married it’s nice to have someone you can tolerate on a daily basis. Also in a relationship, difficult conversations will arise, so it’s important that you and your partner can get through difficult topics to make sure you guys are on the same page within the relationship. Michael said without having these conversations “you could likely end up in a contract to spend your life stuck with someone that you don’t even like.”
“Talk about things like having children, and what are your expectations of me, and all of that stuff. Because the more you get out upfront, the less likely you are to be sucker-punched later.”
Along with living with each other before marriage he also recommends that you and your partner should look into counseling. This helps everyone get comfortable and makes sure that no steps are missed. “If you feel like it’s close, you know, look, let’s have some frank conversations so that nobody has to step backwards.”
“I always tell people to go to counseling before you get married. Go to counseling so you’re not surprised by the person you ended up with later on down the line when you got kids.”, says the actor.
Written by Imani Maxberry