Relationships are complex and easy at the same time. It’s like walking a tightrope—you’ve got to maintain your balance if you want to win. Everyone knows a relationship is easy initially when everything is peachy and effortless. However, as time goes on, your actions must become more deliberate. Some of the most successful relationships follow these rules.
1. Continue to date your partner.
When you first got together with your partner, there’s a good chance that you turned everything into a date. From going to the grocery store together to filling up your car, everything was a novelty and, therefore, a chance to spend quality time with your other half. As you get comfortable in a relationship and life gets in the way, finding the time to go out together can be challenging. This is important, though, as it maintains that carefree side of things and reminds you why you’re with them in the first place.
2. Learn your partner’s love languages.
We all bring different needs to a relationship. Yours might be physical touch, while your partner might feel loved by spending quality time together. Whatever your needs are, it’s essential to learn what your partners’ are, too, and have a conversation where you both share how you think you can honor them.
3. Develop good communication skills.
Studies indicate that the quality of a relationship’s connection can determine its ultimate success or failure. This means that you must recognize the power of good communication. Sure, it might not be your or your partner’s strong suit, but it’s absolutely necessary to maintain a successful relationship.
4. Outdo the other in kindness.
When you first start to develop feelings for someone, it’s all about them—how you can love them and what you can do for them. As the relationship continues, this can shift, and you can start thinking about your needs. Try to go back to the beginning, after all, the key to a successful relationship is thinking about what nice actions you can do for your partner every day.
5. Give your partner the space they need.
Everyone has a different degree of independence. Some people prefer to spend a lot of time alone, while others are happy to be around people most of the time. A successful relationship requires you to talk to your partner about these needs and how to meet them. If they feel stifled by you, they might start to develop resentment.
6. Make sure you get time to yourself.
As important as it is to ensure that your partner gets the space they need, you also need to ensure that you’re getting enough alone time yourself. Otherwise, the same issues will arise—if you don’t feel like you can get away and recharge, you might resent the relationship and end up unhappy.
7. Allow your partner to spend time with their friends.
In a successful relationship, letting your partner be themselves completely is important. This includes having the time and freedom to see friends and maintain meaningful friendships. You should also be able to spend time with friends and have a life outside the relationship.
8. Continue to respect one another.
When you first start seeing someone, it’s easy to admire them. Then you move in with them, and they leave dirty socks around the house and don’t help you with the dishes. This might be frustrating and something you need to talk about, but it’s important not to let bad habits like this fester silently and cause you to lose respect for your partner.
9. Communicate about finances.
Money is often a too-difficult-to-touch topic in relationships, but it’s important. Especially if you can see yourself getting married to your partner one day, you must establish that you’re on the same page about managing your money to maintain a successful relationship.
10. Learn how to speak the truth in love.
There will be times in a relationship when you have to be honest with your partner, even if it’s something that you know they don’t want to hear. While you might want to avoid these challenging subjects, it’s more about how you communicate them than what they are. Learning to gently broach tough topics with your partner by speaking the truth lovingly is a powerful relationship tool.
11. Try to see the good in your partner.
Living with someone can be challenging at times. We all bring funny habits to the table and some are easier to cope with than others. While you might get annoyed at your partner for being hard to live with, it’s essential to try and see that, at the end of the day, they’re good.
12. Don’t hold grudges.
Couples go through easy and tough seasons, and sometimes, it can feel like your relationship is the hardest thing in your life. When you get through this season with your partner, it’s important not to hold anything against them or carry things into the future. It could end up jeopardizing your relationship in the long term.
13. Try not to disagree in public.
Sometimes you’re going to argue about things at home, and sometimes, you’ll be in the middle of a mall or a grocery store when you get into an argument. If this happens, you need to shelf the issue for now and wait until you get home to talk about it. Belittling your partner in public is humiliating and might eventually cause the relationship to break down.
14. Always be willing to say sorry.
Sorry seems to be the hardest word, as the song goes, and it’s true. Many couples find it difficult to apologize to one another and let go of something they’re holding onto—especially if they believe they’re in the right. However, developing the humility to apologize to your partner will go a long way in solidifying the future of your relationship.
15. Always be willing to forgive.
Just as you should be quick to apologize, you also need to show grace when your partner apologizes. Humans make mistakes and your partner (nor you) is perfect! It’s easier said than done, but it’s better to resolve things quickly than let them build up.
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