Some people in Texas might have heard certain myths about marriage that leave them with unrealistic expectations. For example, according to the writer and marriage counselor John Gottman, the relationship technique known as active listening does not generally lead to conflict resolution. Gottman says either it does not help at all or couples tend to relapse into old communication patterns. According to Gottman, even loud arguments do not necessarily mean that a marriage is doomed.
Another myth is that if partners have personality flaws, the marriage will fail. Everyone has them, and what they are matters less than how partners adapt to one another and handle them.
Some people may think that equality in marriage means that both parties share duties 50/50. However, working out a schedule of shared household chores is more likely to inspire resentment than cooperation. What tends to happen in a healthy marriage is that people give more than half at various times throughout the relationship depending on the needs of the other spouse. However, people who feel they have been shouldering the bulk of responsibilities for too long should speak to their spouse about it.
In addition to problems with conflict resolution, mishandling personality flaws and not dividing responsibilities effectively, a marriage can end for many other reasons. People will then have to make decisions about property division. In Texas, most of the assets acquired by either person during the marriage are considered community property. They are supposed to be divided equally, but there is still room for couples and their respective attorneys to negotiate a creative solution that works.