Love should be a foundation of every good relationship, of course. However, as many of us know from our personal experience, a happy, loving, long-lasting relationship requires more than just a mutual feeling of love.
For a relationship to be successful, you need to nurture it continuously. In other words, to maintain a happy, enduring relationship, you and your partner have to build it on mutual trust and support. You need to work together to overcome different problems you may encounter and to accept and cherish your differences.
Long-Lasting Relationship Tips
Creating a loving and lasting relationship obviously isn’t easy. Most people enter a relationship or marriage with great expectations but little knowledge on how to make their relationship thrive. In fact, according to statistics, 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce today. So, how do two people build and keep a mutually fulfilling relationship? What are the secrets to a successful relationship?
1. Be Honest
The first rule of a happy relationship – be honest with each other. Mistrust is one of the main reasons for failure in relationships. Once the trust is broken, it can take a very long time to re-establish it, if ever. If you ask the happiest couples about their honesty, they will tell you that honesty is natural in their relationship as breathing. Sharing things with your partner he or she is not happy to hear about is still better than have themdoubt your honesty.
2. Nurture Healthy Communication
Communication difficulties in a relationship usually leave both partners stressed, anxious and frustrated. To avoid reaching this point in your relationship, you need to cultivate positive communication. This means that you need to listen attentively when differences arise and talk through your dilemmascooperatively. Make decisions together. This will help you to find win-win solutions.
3. Have Healthy Conflicts
Don’t try to avoid conflicts though. Conflicts in a relationship are not just normal, they are necessary. Conflicts help you learn about each other and grow as a couple. Instead of avoiding them, learn strategies for healthy conflict resolution and practice them together.
Willingness to get out of the self-centered shell and view things from your partner’s perspective will help you understand your partner thoroughly and it will keep your relationship strong and healthy.
4. Spend Time Together
One of the essences of a healthy, long-lasting relationship is a shared quality time. The time you spend together as a couple helps you form a stronger bond that will get you through potential problems in the relationship.
5. Spend Time Apart
Then again, spending time apart from each other is very helpful for a relationship, no matter how unconventional this may look like. It is healthy and necessary to have separate interests, hobbies, and activities. This allows you to come back to your partner refreshed at the end of the day and feel the joy while sharing your experiences. Missing your partner from time to time is healthy for your relationship.
6. Be Grateful
Don’t take your partner for granted. Respect him/her and you will get the same in return. Regularly remind yourself how much your partner enriches your relationship – don’t be afraid to express your feelings.
Practice a gratitude exercise together – every morning and each evening count your blessings together. This will boost your optimism, increase happiness and form a stronger bond with your partner.
7. Accept Each Other’s Differences
Don’t let the differences between you become the barriers – turn them into opportunities instead. Don’t just tolerate your dissimilarities – accept them without judging. Celebrate your differences the same way you celebrate your similarities. Acceptance will make you and your partner both feel safe to expose your true selves and feel united.
8. Pay Attention to Your Partner’s Emotions
Successful relationship is founded on partners’ mutual ability to recognize and understand each other’s emotions. Registering when your partner is stressed, upset, frustrated, pleased, joyful, etc., will boost your empathy, improve your communication and the overall quality of your relationship. Being able to understand your partner’s non-verbal signals will help you better understand their needs and respond to them fittingly.
9. Enhance Chemicals of Love
It’s love chemistry, after all. There is a hormone called Oxytocin in our body that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. This hormone is often called the “love hormone” because it is released when people bond socially or snuggle up. You can boost your Oxytocin levels by cuddling, holding hands, watching romantic movies together and being intimate.
10. Don’t Forget the Magic
Don’t let your relationship become an average one. Keep your intimacy from turning into a habit. Do something special from time to time. Make your partner’s favorite meal once a week, tuck a love note in his/her pocket or book a surprise city-breakjust for the two of you. Don’t forget that the happy relationship is about enjoying small, everyday pleasures and having funtogether.
Making these tips for success an integral part of your relationship may not always be easy, but it is definitely worth trying. The mutual trust, acceptance, and ability to put yourself in your partner’s shoes and understand their feelings, needs and perspective will keep your relationship strong and long-lasting.
