Getting married is one of the biggest life-changing decisions most people have to make—and also one of the most stressful, according to the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory (also known as the Life Change Index Scale.) Even before getting engaged, much thought, time and care are required before exchanging vows.

Deciding to commit your life to someone in marriage is something German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) spent a lot of time thinking about. He offered his wise thoughts on marriage to others during his life.

Nietzsche’s advice on whether someone should marry their partner comes down to one simple question. His advice is applicable to anyone debating getting engaged, newly married, or simply dating someone they might consider as a life partner. Nietzsche’s straightforward question can help people decide if one should walk confidently (or not) into marriage.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s important marriage question

Nietzche shared his wisdom with people wondering whether their partner is truly “the one.” He summed up his thoughts with this simple quote and question:

“[D]o you believe you are going to enjoy talking with this woman [or partner] up into your old age? Everything else in marriage is transitory, but most of the time you are together will be devoted to conversation.”

According to Nietzsche, the most important thing that will hold a marriage together is not attraction, money, or compatibility. It simply comes down to: do you enjoy talking to this person?

@iammarkmanson Marriage isn’t a moment. It’s a lifelong conversation. ♬ original sound – Mark Manson

Marriage isn’t a moment. It’s a lifelong conversation. ♬ original sound – Mark Manson

Response to Nietzsche’s marriage advice

Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Mark Manson shared why he strongly believes the advice is the secret for a happy marriage on a recent episode of the Pursuit of Wonder podcast.

He shared, “My favorite quote that I’ve ever heard about marriage came from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.”

After reciting the quote, he explains why Nietzsche’s advice is so impactful:

“Looks come and go. Interests come and go. Finances come and go. Family problems come and go. But at the end of the day, can you spend the rest of your life in this conversation?” he says. “To me this is so profound because all the things that we care about when we’re young, when we meet somebody 99% of them will not matter anymore once we hit old age. Careers come and go. Money comes and goes. Families come and go. But if you can sustain that conversation through everything else, you can always have a great marriage.”

Nietzsche’s additional thoughts on marriage

Although Nietzsche never married, he wrote often about marriage and offered many theories on it meant to challenge and provoke thought. Nietzsche believed that friendship was paramount to a strong marriage as opposed to romance.

He wrote in Human, All Too Human (Aphorism 378), “The best friend will probably acquire the best wife, because a good marriage is founded on the talent for friendship.”

Nietzsche also wrote, “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”

As researcher Skye Nettleton explains in her 2009 paper on Nietzsche and marriage, she notes the philosopher also wrote, “Sensuality often makes love grow too quickly, so that the root remains weak and is easy to pull out.”

A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a  gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing. 

Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold. 

A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen. 

Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing. 

Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to  loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth. 

Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:

Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis 

Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community

Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or  in one of 60   countries where we work around the globe

Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door 

Shop or donate at your local Habitat ReStore

Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone. 

Visit habitat.org/open-door to learn more and get involved today. 

Back in the day, when a couple broke up, you either heard about it firsthand or had to endure an uncomfortable moment at an event where you asked someone where their significant other happened to be. However, in the social media era, many people choose to announce the breakup with a somber post or simply change their relationship status.

Chris and Tenia, a couple in the Columbia, South Carolina area, decided to have some fun with their breakup by doing a funny photoshoot and announcing it on a letter board, like a child starting a new grade at school. At first glance, it seems strange, but if people announce their engagement with a photoshoot, why not mark the pivotal moment when the couple goes their separate ways with some commemorative shots?

The photos, posted to Threads, are great because Chris and Tenia are posed as if they still love each other, wearing deadpan smiles as they stand back-to-back. “The relationship has ended, but the jokes will never!” Chris wrote in the caption. “We are returning each other back to the streets respectfully…”

Couple announces breakup with a funny photoshoot

The photoshoot was definitely a surprising way to announce their breakup, but many commenters praised the couple for their emotional maturity. While a lot of people in their situation would be at each other’s throats, they’re having fun with it.

“Take notes, lesbians. We can absolutely go our separate ways in peace,” cde_esq wrote.

“The level of maturity it takes to split amicably and still find and maintain a friendship is something a lot of people wouldn’t understand. All jokes aside, this is dope and a prime example that just because it ends romantically doesn’t mean it has to end platonically,” _shell_bell_22 wrote.

“Love this! This gives me faith in humanity lol, I love the idea of two nice folks realizing it doesn’t work romantically and it not becoming a toxic situation,” beetsoda wrote.

Chris and Tenia’s relationship ended after four and a half years because, according to Chris, they “realized recently we weren’t really happy, just going with the routine instead. We are on two different journeys but have the most respect and love for each other,” she told Queerty.

The breakup photos showed emotional maturity because they were clear and announced that the relationship was officially over. And as Brené Brown says, “Clarity is kindness.”

How to end your relationship with maturity

“When ending a relationship, it’s tempting to soften the blow with lines like, ‘Maybe in the future,’ or ‘I just need some time.’ But emotionally mature people know that dangling false hope only prolongs the pain,” relationship counselor Tina Fey writes in Eluxe Magazine. “Kindness doesn’t mean........

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