What if you could see marriage trouble coming from a mile away?

Everybody’s relationship is different, that’s for sure – but even so, we can’t just ignore the trends and statistics that we might be a part of.

These factors are pretty strange, but statistically speaking, they show increased likelihood for divorce… And that’s something you can’t afford to ignore.

These don’t guarantee that your marriage is doomed – not even close!

Instead, they should just be indicators that you might be at risk, simply because other people with similar characteristics were too. In fact, being aware of these odd divorce predictors might be just what you need to avoid falling into the same problems as so many other couples!

Here are five strange predictors to be aware of:

1. You Live in Nevada or Maine

Sometimes demographics just speak for themselves, and different states certainly have different stats when it comes to divorce.

The highest rates come from Nevada, with a 14.6% rate of divorced people, though that could be pretty skewed by the notorious city of Las Vegas. Maine comes in second with 14.2%.

Living in either of these two states doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to get divorced, but with the highest rates in the country – it’s a good reason to be aware of the risk factors in your own relationship.

Beat the odds and put in effort to “divorce-proof” your marriage!

2. Two Daughters

This may come as a shock to some, but having two daughters in your family actually increases your likelihood of divorce all the way up to 43%!

Compare that to families with two sons (who face a 37% risk), and you might want to put some extra effort toward strengthening your relationship if you’re raising girls.

The increased risk may be because men tend to be more invested in family life and activities when they have boys, but don’t have quite the same involvement with daughters.

This isn’t to say that dads and daughters can’t have great relationships, or that having female children guarantees that you’ll eventually get divorced!

Again, these are just the stats talking – and if you meet the criteria, it’s all the more reason to keep your marriage happy and healthy.

3. Frowning Photos

This one is especially odd, but two separate studies found some very similar findings about old photographs…

The more you frowned in yearbook photos, old snapshots, and the like, the more likely you are to get divorced later in life. The serious frowners are as much as five times more likely to split with their spouses than those who smiled often.

You certainly can’t go back and change your photos, but if you were a frowny kid or you remember a lot of sour-faced pictures, simply be aware that this bizarre factor just might apply to you – and take steps to avoid becoming part of the statistic.

4. The Wife Makes More Money

For couples who make about the same income and couples where the husband earns more, the rates of divorce are about the same. That number changes significantly, however, when the wife is bringing home the majority of the income.

In fact, in marriages where the wife makes 60% or more of the income, divorce is twice as likely as if the wife didn’t work at all…

This could be for a variety of reasons, including the fairly outdated idea that women need marriage for financial stability. If they are the majority breadwinner, perhaps marriage feels less important.

Fortunately, more modern views on shared income can help reduce resentment from a husband or external criticism about a woman earning more than her male partner…

But the divorce rates in this scenario don’t lie – so if this describes your relationship, make sure you take extra care to keep things on track, and don’t let finances come between you!

5. One Partner is a Nurse

This one is actually pretty easy to understand – though most people might not even consider the “occupational hazard” of divorce…

People in the healthcare field – nurses, home health aides, etc. – have about a 29% divorce rate, which may be a direct result of the stress, long hours, and demanding schedules of such occupations.

Other jobs face even higher divorce rates:

• Bartenders – 38%
• Dancers/Choreographers – 43%
• Police Officers – 66%

A demanding career with late nights and a lot of time away from home can certainly put a strain on a marriage, but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll split up with your spouse.

If one of you works in such a field (or has any kind of super demanding job), you simply have to carve time out of your busy schedule to maintain and improve your marriage…

It’s the best way to beat the odds.

Now, divorces can happen for a huge range of reasons – far more than the few mentioned here. Whatever the reasons for trouble may be, the methods of keeping your marriage together can be implemented by any couple:

• Spend quality time together
• Make the marriage a priority
• Communicate honestly
• Make sex and physical intimacy a priority
• Keep a budget!
• Be a good listener
• Remember that you’re a team!

If the odd predictors of divorce listed here apply to you, the best thing you can do is reinforce the strength of your marriage. Don’t become another statistic – take control of your relationship and make it the best it can be!

For more advice on how to strengthen your marriage, check out the StrongMarriageNow System today!
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Dr. Dana Fillmore and Amy Barnhart, co-Founders, StrongMarriageNow.com