Celebrities are just like you and me. No, really.
They mess up. They get their hearts broken. They have to pick up the pieces.
And they have to do this all under the (often brutal) public eye.
Celebrity splits have been a staple in the industry. In fact, those who’ve stayed together like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson or Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar have become a rarity in Tinseltown.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. | Image source: Danny Moloshok / Reuters
Some break-ups that broke our hearts were Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner and Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani, couples who we were certain would stay together forever.
But even though it’s disheartening to see them part ways, there are lessons to be learned from the common causes of failed celebrity marriages which we can apply to our own relationships. Here are five of them.
1. Lack of quality time
Their hectic schedules take them across the world for shoots, filming, and other obligations. So, naturally, this makes it tough for them to maintain spending time with their spouse as a top priority.
Though it’s healthy to have some time apart, it’s so important to always touch base with one another by making regular calls or video chats a part of your routine.
You can still feel connected even if work requires you to be apart for long periods of time.
2. Consistent temptation
Naturally, celebrities have to deal with constant opportunities to be unfaithful.
It’s almost expected that, with millions of fans fawning over them, there will be times when they receive indecent proposals.
Another source of temptation would be their attractive co-workers. When they film intimate scenes, some stars can’t help but be carried away by chemistry.
But this is also true for non-celebrities. Temptation is everywhere and often, what we think is harmless flirtation can easily lead to something else.
It’s important to evaluate ourselves whenever we suspect we are being led down a dangerous road.
Would our significant other approve of our current behaviour? Or are we playing with fire?
3. Failure to grow together
No matter what success you achieve in life, always remember that your partner is evolving too.
For those who are more successful than their spouses, this can cause a significant strain.
Their partner may feel left out because of the new changes in their life.
So it’s important to keep your needs and wants aligned. You don’t have to succeed together at all times. But part of growing together is allowing one another to fail but loving them anyway.
4. Clashing egos
Many celebrity couples, who are equally famous, are used to being the center of attention.
Having power and fame can easily go to one’s head and it can be a burden that hinders couples from being genuinely happy for one another.
We can be guilty of this, too. When we expect a one-way kind of relationship where our partner caters to us without us returning the favor.
Though it is important to express your needs, being in a committed relationship involves compromise, including your partner in decision-making, and genuinely valuing their opinion.
5. Drama follows them offscreen
While many of these celebrities have played memorable romantic characters, having the same reel drama in real life can spell disaster for unstable partnerships.
One of the keys to lasting relationship is consistency, not drama.
All couples have to go through the stage where the novelty of an exciting new relationship wears off.
What gets us through this is stability and being confident in a love that is not solely based on fleeting emotions.
Keeping things fresh by taking on new activities together and sharing newfound passions can also help restore excitement.
Love is a decision based on mutual respect and trust. Marriages end but the important thing is that we gave it our best shot, with all the love our hearts could hold.
READ: Ben Affleck says he and ex-wife Jennifer Garner are ‘on great terms’
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