4 Signs Your Marriage Can Be Saved

Worried that your marriage is hopeless? Here's four signs that it deserves a second chance.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | April 21, 2025

If you're asking yourself whether your marriage is worth saving, you're likely at a crossroads, feeling stuck in the same painful patterns, unsure whether things can improve. Maybe the distance has grown, your connection feels shaky and you're left wondering if there's still something worth holding on to.

Even the strongest relationships can face seasons of frustration or doubt, and it can make you wonder if the love you once shared is still alive beneath it all.

Of course, not all marriages are meant to last, and sometimes choosing to walk away is the healthiest decision two people can make. However, some relationships still have the potential to heal when both partners are willing to show up, grow and rebuild together.

This is not about forcing a happy ending. It's about recognizing when something real still exists beneath the surface and whether there's enough willingness and effort on both sides to move forward.

Here are four signs that your marriage still holds the potential to grow stronger, despite its challenges.

1. You Have A Shared Commitment To Personal Growth

One of the most overlooked truths in struggling marriages is that saving the relationship does not always begin with fixing "the couple." It usually starts with each partner doing their own inner work. When one or both individuals begin to reflect, regulate and evolve emotionally, it creates a ripple effect that impacts how they communicate, respond and connect.

Being happy on your own and still choosing to invest in your marriage every day lays the foundation for real, lasting change.

Research shows that people with higher levels of well-being are more likely to have high marital happiness trajectories, while those with lower initial well-being were more likely to be in unhappy marriages. Researchers also note that individual distress contributes to marital strain.

This highlights how individual distress does not just stay internal; it spills over into the relationship. Taking responsibility for your own emotional health can not only improve your personal life but also shift the dynamics of your marriage in meaningful ways.

Supporting this, a 2024 study on distressed women in individual therapy found that two out of three participants showed notable improvement in marital satisfaction and commitment. This highlights how approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), even when done individually, can positively influence relationship dynamics.

If you find that both you and your partner are willing to take accountability and work on your inner struggles, whether that's managing stress, healing past wounds or building healthier habits, there's likely real potential for your marriage to heal. Growth begins individually but creates space for transformation together.

2. You Both Show A Willingness To Communicate Better

Communication is the lifeline of any relationship, but when tension builds over time, even simple conversations can start to feel like endless battles. One of the most hopeful signs that a marriage has potential to be saved is when both partners are open to learning a different way of relating to each other.

A 2021 study published in BMC Women's Health highlights just how powerful communication skills can be, not just for improving relationships but also for protecting individuals' emotional well-being within marriage.

Researchers found that married women who learned effective communication skills were better equipped to deal with marital conflicts directly, resulting in reduced burnout and improved quality of life. While the study focused specifically on women, the underlying principle that healthy communication reduces relationship strain can be relevant to all partners, regardless of gender.

Acquiring strong communication skills can make it easier to navigate conflict, feel heard and connect more deeply. In any relationship, it's not just about what you say, but how you say it and whether both partners are open to listening and growing together.

If both you and your partner are not only aware of your communication gaps but also willing to actively learn and implement healthier ways of expressing yourselves, that is often a meaningful sign that your marriage isn't broken; it's just in need of rebuilding.

3. You Both Put In The Work To Heal Past Wounds

Every relationship experiences its share of pain points — moments that bring hurt, disappointment or emotional distance. These moments, while difficult, can become growth opportunities when both partners are open to acknowledging the past and are genuinely committed to working through the underlying issues. This mutual willingness creates space for real healing and reconnection.

Research shows that forgiveness plays a key role here. It's not just about letting go of resentment. Forgiveness also helps reduce harmful conflict behaviors and encourages positive effort toward rebuilding relationships.

When partners choose to forgive, they're more likely to communicate in healthier ways, break out of negative patterns and actively invest in improving the relationship. This, in turn, leads to deeper emotional connection and greater relationship satisfaction.

However, forgiveness is most effective when both individuals are equally invested in healing and willing to hold themselves and each other accountable. To do so, it's essential not to excuse repeated harmful behavior or avoid tough conversations.

When you're both open to breaking unhealthy cycles of behavior, revisiting difficult conversations with empathy, extending grace and choosing to show up differently, it often signals that the relationship still has a resilient foundation worth nurturing.

4. You Both Can Own Up To Your Mistakes

Healthy relationships are not about avoiding mistakes. What's more important is how you respond when they happen. When both partners are willing to take responsibility for their actions and apologize sincerely without shifting blame, it creates space for resolution and emotional safety.

Research shows that the timing and delivery of an apology matter. Researchers suggest that apologies are most effective when they come after the hurt partner has had a chance to express their feelings and feel understood. Rushing to say "I'm sorry" too soon can sometimes feel dismissive, while waiting and truly listening first encourages what researchers call "ripeness" — a state where the person is more open to forgiveness and reconnection.

When a partner is allowed to voice what hurt them and the other person shows real understanding, it builds trust and shows the mistake is taken seriously. People are more likely to believe the issue will not happen again when the apology comes after this kind of meaningful exchange.

If both you and your partner are ready to consistently take ownership and show a willingness to grow through conflict, it's a powerful sign that your marriage has the emotional maturity and mutual respect needed to be worth saving.

Uncertainty Isn't the End, But Rather An Invitation To Reflect

There are times in a relationship when the way forward doesn't feel obvious — not a clear yes or no, but more like a quiet in-between. The real question isn't always "Should we stay together?" but rather, "Is there still enough willingness and effort on both sides to co-create something better?"

Relationships evolve as people evolve with time. Consequently, what's needed isn't always to go back to how things were, but to courageously reimagine how things could be with more conscious intention.

If you're questioning your marriage, know that a sense of uncertainty is not a final verdict — it's an invitation to reflect on whether you both can evolve in ways that support your relationship. Healing isn't linear, but when both people are willing to grow, not just for the relationship but for themselves, it can mark the beginning of something even more real and lasting than what existed before.

Are you feeling stuck or unfulfilled in your marriage? Take this science-backed test to find out where you stand: Marital Satisfaction Scale

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.