We’ve all become accustomed to relationship drama on TV. Big blowout arguments, love triangles, affairs, we’ve seen it all time and time and time again on shows like the Bachelor/ette, Married at First Sight, Couples Therapy, Marriage Bootcamp, and the list goes on.
It’s not just on TV either. This week, popular cheater website Ashley Madison underwent intense scrutiny for a hack that exposed its 39 million members.
I think we can all agree that it’s a breath of fresh air when you see positive examples of relationships portrayed in the media, so it’s no wonder that Fixer Upper is one of HGTV’s standout shows. Not only are Chip and Joanna Gaines amazing at renovating and designing homes, they have the most successful relationship on TV right now.
(Photo courtesy of HGTV)
Here are the 4 reasons that the home renovation power couple’s relationship works from an outside view looking in:
Laughter and Fun
If you watch this show you know that Chip brings a lot of humor into their relationship. I’ve seen so many occasions where they’re shopping for furniture or working onsite at a home when Chip will put on a funny outfit or ram through sheetrock just to get a laugh out of Joanna.
This playfulness seemingly brings a lightness to the relationship. Even though they’re spending hours a day working together, they’re enjoying each other’s company.
Admiration
In every episode of Fixer Upper, viewers see Chip and Joanna’s admiration for each other. Whether they’re telling each other how amazing of a job they did on a current project or how proud they are of each other, they’re always building each other up. It’s unusual for Chip not to dote on Joanna after she’s just finished decorating a new Fixer Upper. “You’re so smart,” he’ll say. This is how relationships become unbreakable.
The Little Things…
…mean a whole lot. Chip and Joanna support each other’s needs, wants and desires. Last season, Joanna wanted to find a new, unique space for their shop, Magnolia Market. Joanna invested a lot of effort in finding just the right place and when she was ready to make a decision, Chip was right there to support her by surprising her with the news that the place she wanted was now hers.
And vice versa, Joanna always finds new ways to make life just a little better for Chip. Each year for his birthday, she tries to surprise her husband with something he’s not suspecting. One year, she got him a new Jeep, which he then crashed moments later into another parked car! And for his 40th, she organized an intimate birthday celebration with Chip’s favorite band, Johnnyswim, in their backyard with their closest friends and family.
Tag Team
This couple has perfected the “i” and “we” game. They work well jointly such as when they're showing homes to buyers, but when it comes to breaking down tasks, they have clearly identified who does what best. For example, Chip doesn’t like to have the money conversations so Joanna steps in to break the news. And Joanna leaves the renovation work up to Chip. They don’t seem to step on each other’s toes, which makes for a happy couple and happy clients.
Watch Chip and Joanna tell their love story!
"When I learned how to embrace Joanna for who she is and support her all the way, I feel like that was a real light bulb moment for me and my relationship with her. As I enveloped this concept of I'm going to support her and love her and fight for her regardless that opened her heart to be able to reciprocate," Chip Gaines
Now that I’ve unveiled my take on why Chip and Joanna Gaines make TV’s most positive relationship role models, let me know what you think. Do you agree?
XO,
Kristen