MARRIAGE TIP #547: THE PURPLE MONKEY SYNDROME by

MARRIAGE TIP #547: THE PURPLE MONKEY SYNDROME
by MIKE TUCKER of Faith For Today
Years ago someone played a game with me where they told me not to think
about the purple monkey. Guess what I thought about the whole time? The
purple monkey!
The purple monkey distracted me from anything else that I wanted to think
about because all I could think about and imagine was a purple monkey.
Well, life is filled with purple monkeys – distractions that keep us from focusing
on what’s important.
Another problem with purple monkeys is that they prevent us from keeping our
priorities in place. The last thing you need is a purple monkey distracting you
from making your relationship with your spouse a priority.
If your marriage is your priority, do your best to eliminate distractions.
One of the primary distractions is the past. Remember, the past does not equal
the future; learn from your past and move on – don’t allow it to become a distraction.
Focus your time, energy and effort on what’s most important and on the positives of your marriage. If something needs to be addressed, then address it but in
an optimistic, productive way.
Lastly, one of the most dangerous purple monkeys to watch out for is the purple
monkey called complaining. Complaining is a serious distraction because it
redirects focus to less important issues and depletes patience.
Having a no-complaint policy in your marriage is one of the best ways to rid
your relationship of this crazy little purple monkey. Focus on the positives.