Whether you've been with your significant other for several years or several months, getting married is a huge deal. Today's young couples aren't making rash decisions when it comes to marriage. A report by a dating site reveals that 25- to 34-year-olds across the US knew their partner for an average of 6.5 years before tying the knot.In addition to all the excitement surrounding your engagement, you might be wondering if you're seeing signs that you're ready for marriage. But the idea of "being ready for marriage" can mean different things for different people, experts explain."From a counseling perspective, being ready for marriage means that two people can, at important times, but their individual preferences aside for the sake of the relationship," says Julienne Derichs, licensed clinical social worker in Chicago.What's important to you and your partner might be different than the couple sitting at the table next to you when you're out to dinner, but the key is that you and your partner are on the same page. It's also important that you and your partner are happy with who each of you is on an individual level, as well as you each of you are in your relationship.You could, theoretically, spend all of eternity trying to decide whether your partner is the right partner for you. But who has all of eternity to wait?Here are the major signs that you're ready for marriage.1. You are making plans together for the future.You guys have been making plans. Not just dinner plans, but real, serious, joint-bank-account plans. You no longer wonder if you guys will spend Thanksgiving together, now it's a matter of whose family you spend it with. No longer do you consider just your future happiness, but you've made your future hubby's happiness a priority as well.Marriage is a commitment to spend the rest of your life with another person, for better or worse. Anything that you are planning to do in your future should include your partner if you are marrying them. If you dream of a new career in a new town and your partner is not there with you in these visions, it may not be wise to make this commitment yet.2. You're ready to commit to a marriage, not just a weddingMany of us have been dreaming of our wedding day since we were children. Visions of walking down the aisle in a gorgeous white dress, exchanging loving vows, and then blissfully driving off into the sunset together are common. This one seems obvious, but it can be common to mistake emotions like attraction, excitement, and security as love.However, when you think about marriage now, do you think beyond these events and to the rest of your married life? Have you seen all of the signs of his love for you and love him back? If you can't wait to spend the rest of your life with your partner, not just the glorious wedding day, this is a good sign. If you have been together for long enough to have been through the initial "honeymoon period" and are still deeply in love with each other, you may be ready to make things official!3. You become a better version of yourselfThough you might be used to focusing on all the things you like (and love) about your partner, experts urge that, when it comes to a long-term partnership, it's just as important to focus on all the things you love about yourself. Your significant other shouldn't complete you, but rather add to the happiness you've already found in life, explains Dr, Sherman."This puts less pressure on the other person to give you a viable life and a reason for living or to make you continually happy," Dr, Sherman says.Your friends and family have known you the longest and know you best. You will be able to feel if they like who you are as a couple together. You want friends and family to bless your marriage. There were a handful of people whose permission I requested. They gave me a big fat "yes." One said, "I would marry you myself right now if I could." That's when I knew I had their undivided support of our union.4. You share in the finances.In terms of communicating openly with your partner, a major sign that you're ready to get married is that you've discussed money. While this might seem a no-brainer for some, you'd be surprised how many couples keep separate bank accounts even after they're married. This kind of financial talk may not come naturally to you, as a Wells Fargo survey revealed that people find it more challenging to discuss money than it is to talk about death, politics, and religious beliefs. However, before you enter into a marriage, you and your partner need to be completely transparent about your financial situations, such as debt, student loans, income, spending tendencies, financial goals, and other miscellaneous monetary information. After all, managing your finances together is a critical component of a successful and long-lasting marriage.If you haven't yet had the talk about money with your partner, it pays to take this step before you walk down the aisle. Once you start living with your future significant other, if you're both thinking "this thing we've got going is permanent," opening a joint account is a big sign that you both are in it for the long haul. Combining finances (direct deposit, bills, and paychecks) immediately ties the two of you together and opens a window into how you run and organize your life.If you have noticed all of these signs, you are probably ready to tie the knot with your partner and should stop worrying! If you have doubts about one or more of these, it may be too soon to commit. However, don't panic if this is the case—these issues can be solved with time and communication, and you will likely one day feel ready to take the step of marriage with your partner.

You know what it's like to be afraid of something, whether it's a thunderstorm, going to the dentist, a stranger at your door, or losing a loved one. Fear is a normal response that warns our bodies to be careful. Anxiety is a fear that deals more with worry and the future than fear of what is there. Whatever the source of fear, it keeps too many people from acting and prevents them from achieving what they want and can achieve.When fear and anxiety become a pattern in our lives, they become a problem. If a clogged drain in the kitchen sink was a problem, would you ignore it? of course not. You call a plumber or try to fix it yourself. When fear takes its toll on your physical and mental stability and you find yourself avoiding things that might create more fear, don't ignore it. When anxiety becomes a debilitating thing that makes you cringe and get sick, don't try to push it away. There is no surer way to fail than never try. This year, don't let fear kill your hustle until you get started.The following 4 tips may be your ticket to escape the fears and anxiety disorders in your life.Step 1: Know what are your fearsRight now, people all over the world are facing fear — real fear. Fear is everywhere, but fear can be overcome, controlled, and even a force for good. Fear exists to keep us safe. It's not inherently bad or good, but a tool we can use to make better decisions. The purpose of fear is not to keep us inactive, but to help us behave in a way that produces the results we need and want. Accept your fears as your guide and let them dictate your actions, but don't control them.The first step is probably the hardest one, but it is also necessary. You can't get over the fear that hides in the dusty areas of your subconscious mind. You have to face it. When you turn your face to a person, you see that person and understand what he looks like and how he behaves. As you turn to your fear (instead of moving away from it), you will notice things about your fear that you didn't know before. This awareness can help you overcome it.To help yourself face your fears and anxiety, try keeping a journal for two to three weeks. Note any patterns you notice. Do your hands get clammy and your stomach tightens when you hear the doorbell? Do you experience more anxiety symptoms in the morning or evening? What do you tend to do when your fears arise? Take note of anything that seems important. Translating your fear patterns and symptoms into words can help demystify them. They are no longer so big and insurmountable. Most importantly, knowing your fear will allow you to know how to fight it.Step 2: Take action, break the fearWe tend to admire people who move quickly, but deliberation, planning, and pacing yourself are also actions. Many successful careers are threatened or destroyed simply by haste. When fear strikes, consider whether the right action might be to analyze the options and make an informed, thoughtful choice, rather than jumping on impulse to what seems right. If you're not facing guns, atrocities that make the news, or impending death, that's a good start. However, that doesn't mean your fears are less real.But when we're too caught up in fear and unable to act, use your imagination in a positive way. Imagination is a wonderful thing. It gives you strength, creativity, and the ability to think outside the box. Unfortunately, when positive imagination makes you think about negative things, it can be a harmful tool. Your imagination magnifies your fears and makes your situation seem worse than it is. Instead of letting your imagination lead you down the dark corridors of fear, use it deliberately to overcome your fear. The calm you experience in imaginary scenarios can help you move through actual ordeals more peacefully.Step 3: Focus on your physical behaviorWhen fear comes, think about what your body or brain is doing. Your fears and anxieties come from a part of your brain that allows emotions to prevail over rational thinking. Try using different parts of your brain when you feel your dreaded symptoms appear. For example, think about numbers. A nurse at the clinic may ask the patient to rate his pain on a scale of 1-10. Use this scale to measure your anxiety. How anxious are you when 1 is completely calm and 10 is your worst symptom? Stop and analyze. You can work to keep this number to a minimum. Try using your breath to lower your fear level.You need to use your breath to adjust yourself, which is more important than you think. Often, anxiety starts with shortness of breath, and short breaths can cause some negative reactions in your body that can quickly turn into anxiety disorders. The key to overcoming those quick bursts of anxiety is controlling your breathing.Fortunately, deep breathing is not complicated. Once you realize that you are becoming fearful, stop and focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath, then slowly exhale. Make sure your exhale is longer than your inhale. It's not just a mental trick; deep breathing forces your body to calm down physically.Step 4: Help yourself through external forcesThink of someone you can always depend on, and you'll find that you've found a way out of your fears. The beauty of this is that it means fear becomes a part of life, not something to be feared and avoided. That means you know you can turn to your friends, partners, colleagues, parents, siblings and say, "Yes, I need to fix this, and I need you to help me." When we start helping others, We feel valued, loved, respected, and many other positive emotions and our bodies produce tons of positive chemicals. Your fears, and your determination to fight them, also help others. Now that's cool, right?Courage isn't standing up and smiling no matter what you endure. It's about finding a way to emotionally process your fears so that you can move on. It might feel crazy to do what you love, but it can be an effective way to help you find solutions to your fears in your life. Talking to an advisor is an excellent way to deal with fear and anxiety. Experienced advisorscan provide real help with your fears and anxiety issues.

The weekly horoscopes of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are here. Let’s read on to discover what's in store for your sign during the week of December 5 to December 11, 2021.LibraWhen boundaries need to be established, you sometimes question your fairness. You know that in most cases, everyone is doing their best, but you worry that adding any additional requirements to yourself is unreasonable for others. However, this week, please try to get rid of this idea. Everyone should be respected, and so are you. For this, you can try the winter menu and enjoy your life. This week calls on Libra to respect themselves and enjoy this winter. You're worth it!ScorpioScorpio is not satisfied with leaving his/her future to chance or waiting for others to become generous. You can finish a lot of work earlier this week. Create a priority list and focus on the larger ones instead of wasting time on smaller ones. So don't let the cold weather slow you down, exercise more to release excess energy and direct it to valuable projects or goals. This week calls for when good opportunities arise, the best course of action is to take them.SagittariusSolar eclipse energy lasts longer than astronomical events. Try to think back to the solar eclipse last Saturday. Have you noticed that you have experienced some changes in direction or the people around you? If you feel it, instead of overthinking the cause, it is better to embrace the change itself. And then take steps this week to move ahead on the project or direction. This may bring constant fatigue and harsh emotions, but you don't have to feel desperate. This week calls on Sagittarius to balance your direction.CapricornThis season is somewhat influenced by your zodiac sign. There are many things you worry about. For example, you will never be able to work hard enough, and you will never be able to truly be happy. It's exhausting to keep being held back by my worst thoughts. However, try to relax this week, such as thinking about making simple but meaningful cards yourself. This week I call on Capricorns to bravely know the truth: you are good and charming, and the world will get better with you.AquariusThis week is a good week to lend a helping hand to a good cause, maybe a charity event. If you want to start something yourself, do it! Linking your motivation to work will make it more sustainable. If in the days to come, you find yourself hard-pressed to discern the difference between your gut instincts, your fears about the future, and your projections about the feelings of others, then please go slowly. This week calls on Aquarius to try to slow down to study and work.PiscesRecently, new opportunities and new obstacles continue to emerge. You may find it difficult to stick to your plan exactly, and the direction of progress has been changed. If you are trying to plan too far for the future, don't worry too much now. Because you are fully capable of grasping every moment and letting the way forward show through your efforts. What you have to do is to focus on the motivation that you cultivate with others and analyze the role you play. Then clear the direction and work hard for it. This week calls on Pisces to maintain morale and a sense of humor.Want to know the horoscope of other constellations this week, click here.Want to know today's accurate prediction? Try it now!