The blood, sweat and tears I've put into starting my business are nothing compared to the sacrifices my spouse has made. I wouldn't have seen success without her unyielding support and encouragement.

Here's how a supportive spouse ensures an entrepreneur's success.

Teamwork from the beginning

When my wife and I decided we were going to go through this life together as a team, we had no idea what that would mean. After all, we were young (I was 21 and she was 23) and just didn't know what life was going to throw our way.

After being married for 13 years, we decided my skills were best used in a small business capacity. It seemed natural to start my own business from scratch. This is when my wife's support became essential.

Even though we lost the steady, reliable income from my previous job, she remained my rock when I started my business. She offered her opinions as we made the job transition, helped me make decisions about the direction the new business should take and stayed positive throughout the process, even during some pretty stressful times.

Schedule regular time to spend together to discuss plans and goals. Teamwork will be extremely valuable to your success from day one.

Support for the business

In order to grow in relationships and business, we must put in time, resources and a bit of love.

As a unit, we knew it was going to take effort on both of our parts to make this new business venture work.

The biggest contributor to my success during those grueling early days was having a second set of eyes and ears. I could rely on my wife to be there when I needed to vent or get some perspective.

Make an effort to keep your spouse regularly involved. Success will be directly measured by the amount of support and insight your spouse gives the business.

Stability at home

With all that goes into starting a business, one big thing still needs to be taken care of - the home.

My role as a father and husband will always trump my role as an entrepreneur, but I am fortunate my family has never forced me to choose one over the other. I can be successful in both my family and work lives because of my wife's support.

Whether it's greetings and hugs at the door after a long day or sitting down to my wife's famous chicken soup, she provides the magic touch that keeps me motivated and feeling secure.

Focus on love and respect for each other and for the family. Be intentional about creating time in your schedule for family activities and spending valuable time with your partner. If your home life is unstable, rest assured your business will soon falter.

Growth for the future

Our family and my business have been able to grow and flourish because of the love and support my spouse provides.

If you allow your spouse to be involved in your business, your entrepreneurial and family success will grow every day. You'll be able to give food, shelter, fun and love to your family.

Remember, a startup is a team effort. Behind the most successful small businesses are spouses who provide teamwork, support, stability and growth. Having a partner in business and life makes any dream possible.

The post Why your spouse’s support is essential to the success of your startup appeared first on FamilyToday.

"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive." - Elbert Hubbard

Taking the Internet too seriously is all too common. With all the fun and amazing things you can do on the web, a lot of people get caught up in things like ridiculous online arguments and obsessive devotion to online games. Maybe you treat fantasy football like it's life or death, or perhaps you have a gravely serious approach to Twitter. Well, it's time to knock that off.

Here are the five main reasons you take the Internet too seriously, and some tips on how you can get more enjoyment from the Internet, and life in general.

1. You're letting Internet trolls get to you

One of the worst ways we get caught up in fight-to-the-death online drama is because of Internet trolls. Trolls, or those who try to upset people online for no reason other than their own sick amusement, do things like start fake rumors online, spam your favorite message boards, and send you mean tweets.

The best way to deal with trolls is to simply ignore them. Don't engage them in the YouTube comments, and block them from your social media accounts. As long as you don't let a troll drag you down to his level, he has no power over you.

2. You're obsessed with your social media image

If you're constantly updating your social media profiles to portray yourself in the best possible light, you're taking social media too seriously. The same goes for people who are always comparing their life to their friends' lives on Facebook and Instagram.

I work, by the way, in social media marketing, so I am well aware of the power of social media to influence people's opinions. But unless you're using social media to grow your business or career, all the self-promotion you do on social media is pretty much pointless.

The problem with disguises, online or off, is that they prevent you from forming close relationships with people. Instead of trying to portray a perfect image on social media, try connecting with people on an honest, genuine level.

3. You're not spending enough time with your family

Today's families are not spending enough quality time together. Part of the problem is the Internet allows us to work from home and play online games 24/7 instead of interacting with those around us. Often, we become overly involved in an online world as a substitute for interacting with the people who love us most.

Think about it. Much of the time you spend frowning at your laptop screen could be spent having fun with friends and family. This weekend shut down that laptop and try to spend time with your family playing outdoors and away from distractions. The Internet will be there when you get back, I promise.

4. You have an Internet addiction

In some cases, people are unable to stop taking the Internet too seriously. You can get addicted to the Internet the same way you can get addicted to other behaviors like gambling or shopping.

Suffering from depression or addictions such as alcoholism are risk factors for Internet addiction. If you think you might be addicted to the Internet, it's a good idea to try to figure out the underlying causes of your addiction and seek the advice of a counselor or therapist.

5. You take yourself too seriously

If you take things too seriously online, there's a good chance you might just take yourself too seriously in general. Being too stiff and pretentious is rarely well-received, whether you're writing a blog post or chatting with your friends.

Do you take yourself too seriously? Try to lighten up and have some laughs every now and then. Life is more fun that way.

If you know people who take the Internet too seriously - and odds are, you do - be sure to share this blog post so we can all have a better time on the Internet.

The post 5 signs you’re taking the Internet too seriously appeared first on FamilyToday.