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The Duffys and Bonginos talk love, secrets to long-lasting relationship
Dan Bongino and his wife Paula sit down with Rachel Campos-Duffy and Sean Duffy to share relationship stories and advice.
A struggling marriage may be one of life's greatest stressors and sources of pain.
What if a simple framework for spending more time together could potentially improve your relationship with your spouseor significant other?
Enter the 2-2-2 rule: Try and swing a date night every two weeks, a weekend away every two months and a week away every two years.
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The 2-2-2 rule includes taking time with your significant other within certain time frames. (iStock) (iStock)
The rule has its origins on a Reddit thread from 2015 and has in recent weeks reappeared on social media as a form of relationship advice.
"I think it's excellent," psychoanalyst and marriagecounselor Kimberly Hershenson told Fox News Digital. In addition to respect, she said, "in order to have a really great marriage you have to spend time together."
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Former NFL athlete and international speaker Anthony Trucks and his wife Christina say they practice the 2-2-2 rule, but didn't even know they were doing it until hearing about the method.
The high school sweethearts married, divorced and remarried.
Anthony Trucks said prioritizing spending time together has been crucial to what is now a very happy, healthy relationship.
Couple says the 2-2-2 rule changed their marriage for the better. (Anthony Trucks)
"It was back in 2016 I came across data that showed spending time with another person makes you psychologicallycloser," Trucks told Fox News Digital. "If something is a priority to you, you have to dedicate time to it."
The Trucks make frequent date nights a top priority and travel together frequently. Having the opportunity to spend time together allows the couple to address issues in real-time.
"We're not waiting for the whole thing to burn down," Trucks said, referring to the couple's earlier divorce. "If we didn't deliberatelyallocate time to each other we could get lost in the schedules and work and kids' sports."
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Hershenson said she's had clients on the brink of divorce come to a much better place by using the 2-2-2 rule.
"It gives couples the time to communicate and find out what's going on in each other's lives," she said.
When couples know the stresses they may be experiencing, she said, it leads to a deeper understanding.
The 2-2-2 rule has shown to make couples happier in their relationship. (iStock) (iStock)
She added that it's equally important, however, to not spend your time alone with your spouse talking about your troubles. "It's just as important to have fun and relax, enjoying a nice meal or a movie."
Trucks said that when he and Christina divorced, he had hoped to one day have the kind of marriage others looked to as one to aspire to.
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Now he says he does – with the very same woman who he found himself grown apart and divorced from.
"It's a great marriage," he said, "but it's not perfect. We make it a priority to invest time in each other. I always say she's the puzzle I chose to solve. Puzzles are fun, sometimes they're frustrating. But you keep working at it till all the pieces fit."
Genevieve Shaw Brown is a contributing lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
As a relationship expert with a deep understanding of various methodologies and strategies for fostering healthy and lasting connections, I've come across numerous frameworks aimed at enhancing the quality of relationships. One such approach gaining traction is the 2-2-2 rule, which advocates a structured routine for spending time with your significant other. This rule, initially surfaced in a Reddit thread in 2015, has recently resurfaced on social media, prompting discussions on its efficacy.
The 2-2-2 rule suggests dedicating time to your partner at specific intervals: a date night every two weeks, a weekend away every two months, and a week-long getaway every two years. This deliberate scheduling of time together is believed to strengthen the emotional bond between couples and address potential issues before they escalate.
Psychoanalyst and marriage counselor Kimberly Hershenson has endorsed the 2-2-2 rule, emphasizing its significance in building and maintaining strong marriages. In her professional opinion, spending time together is not only essential for fostering respect but is a crucial element for a truly great marriage.
The rule has received validation from real-life experiences, with the story of Anthony Trucks, a former NFL athlete, and his wife Christina serving as an illustrative example. The couple, high school sweethearts who went through a divorce and remarriage, inadvertently practiced the 2-2-2 rule. Anthony Trucks, upon discovering research indicating that spending time together fosters psychological closeness, recognized the importance of prioritizing shared activities.
Trucks emphasized the rule's impact on their relationship, highlighting the proactive approach of addressing issues in real-time rather than waiting for crises. He stressed the necessity of deliberately allocating time to each other, preventing the couple from getting lost in the chaos of schedules and responsibilities.
Even clients on the brink of divorce, according to Hershenson, have benefited significantly from adopting the 2-2-2 rule. This structured framework provides couples with dedicated time for communication, fostering a deeper understanding of each other's lives and challenges.
Hershenson emphasizes the importance of balance, acknowledging that while discussing challenges is crucial, couples should also prioritize enjoyable activities. The 2-2-2 rule, she argues, not only facilitates communication but also allows couples to have fun and relax together, reinforcing the positive aspects of their relationship.
In conclusion, the 2-2-2 rule has gained recognition as a practical and effective strategy for couples to nurture their relationships. Backed by both professional endorsem*nts and real-life success stories, this structured approach to spending time together offers a valuable framework for couples seeking to strengthen their emotional connection and build lasting, fulfilling relationships.
