Relationships are never easy! But if you are wondering ‘How to keep a relationship’ you probably are willing to put in all the effort to sustain your love life. Everything is complicated and so is maintaining a relationship. It requires a lot of effort and willingness to maintain a relationship. We always tend to fantasize about our relationships. The perfect partner. The perfect life. No sorrows. A happily ever after! But, love is not as simple as depicted in the movies. It involves a lot of trial and error. It involves comprising and swallowing your pride to keep a relationship happy and healthy.
And it is easy to fall in love but it is difficult to maintain it. Maintaining a relationship is both an art and a science. It involves understanding the psychological needs of your partner and yours and respecting them. It requires the art of communication and commitment. However perfect life maybe there will be ups and downs in your relationship. But if you and your partner stay on course, you are sure to keep your relationship forever. With this in mind we have listed down 11 strong relationship tips but before that let’s have a look at the core ingredients that makes a romantic bond.
What 3 things make a relationship?
People often wonder what are the five most important things in a relationship. Or, what are the most significant key ingredients to a lasting relationship? Well, it comes down to just three. Respect, trust, and vulnerability make up the formula for a lasting relationship. Remember the time you fell in love? You were filled with feelings of respect and admiration for your partner. Your partner always came first before any other commitment. You wanted to be there for them before anyone else could. You wanted them to trust you and share everything with you, however insignificant it might be.
While trust makes you believe that your partner cares for you and will be present for you no matter what. Respect makes you realize that your opinions, values, and preferences are accepted. You are treated like an individual whose opinions are as important in the relationship as your partners. With respect to being practiced acceptance follows through. The vulnerability allows you to be your genuine, real self. It is not pretending to be someone else. It is accepting that you have your fears and scars and not being ashamed of them. And it requires safety and trust to be vulnerable, but if you can provide that safety to your partner your bond will continue to grow stronger day after day.
How to keep a relationship interesting | 11 simple tips to have a strong and healthy relationship
Strong and healthy relationships don’t just happen, they require a lot of hard work and commitment. There’s more than love that is required to maintain a relationship. When life becomes hard it’s easier to get frustrated with your partner and your relationship might even take a back seat. But luckily there are countless ways that can save your relationship and make it interesting.
Below is a list of 10 simple ways to keep a relationship interesting and make it last forever.
1- Keep a relationship by spending quality time with each other
With so much happening in life maintaining your relationship might seem like just another task on your to-do list. Even the most loving couples are eventually tired of the monotonous routine. My friends always ask me,’ how to keep a relationship forever?’ which makes me ponder upon the things which have kept my relationship lasting so long. Let me spill the beans and make it easy for you. Spending quality time with each other face to face, without any technology or distractions is my key to happy and healthy love life.
Find something that you enjoy doing together. It might be cooking or painting or even narrating your favorite movie story to your partner. Try something new together. As time passes we tend to get familiar with each other which kind of loses the novelty present at the start of a relationship. But, trying out new things with your partner will make you see those hidden qualities of your partner that you weren’t aware of earlier. Focus on having fun together. Enjoying time together with your partner without any worldly distractions will surely keep your relationship interesting and healthy.
2- Practice acceptance and patience
Your partner can never be perfect, even if you are not perfect. Everyone has their flaws. A perfect partner can only be fantasized. You should not be telling your partners to act in a certain way. You liked them the way they were at the start of a relationship. So stop molding them into how you want them to behave. Every person is unique and has certain characteristics. You can respectfully share your concerns if something is bothering you. Instead of telling them ‘Be this. To do that, you should act maturely. Sit with your partner and have a heart-to-heart conversation with them. Try using phrases like, ‘What do you want to do or ‘what do you like or dislike about me’. Treat your partner with the same acceptance you treat others with. Appreciate your partner’s individuality for that is going to keep a relationship happy and healthy.
3- Use the word ‘we’ to maintain a relationship
This is a game-changer. A study done by researchers at the University of California revealed that couples who use the word ‘we’ are generally calmer, happier, and more satisfied with their relationships. Whereas words like ‘you, I or me’ tend to sound selfish. The use of the word ‘we’ gives the notion of being in a collaborative mindset. Instead of being in a ‘you vs. me’ mindset. It develops a sense of connectivity with your partner thereby growing your bond closer together. It makes you realize that whatever you do will affect your partner equally as you are in it together. And it makes your commitment stronger and healthier with each passing day. Remember that whenever a problem arises in your relationship it’s you and your partner against the problem not you vs. them. Try this and your relationship will change miraculously.
4- Focus on the positive aspects of your relationship
Your relationship might not be perfect but there are times when you might have felt over the moon just because of the little gesture your partner did for you. Life is not about fancy birthdays or buying luxurious gifts every week for your partner. It is the small acts of kindness that depict your love and care for your partner. Your partner might not be expressive about his love but his actions can show you the real care residing in his heart. If he calls you a couple of times a day it might be a way of him saying ‘I miss you. Actions are more powerful than words. Happy couples focus on the positive aspects of their relationship.
But, if there’s an issue at hand bring it to light in a positive way. A constructive approach to the problem is the key to keeping a relationship forever. Here are some amazing ways to be positive.
5- Fight fair to keep a relationship healthy
Relationships are all about human connection and understanding. Every couple’s journey is bound to experience several ups and downs which can make the picture blur. It is your resilience and commitment to stay in the relationship that will save you from heartache in tough times. Fights are inevitable, but it is your way of dealing with the problem that will make or break your relationship. People often ask, ‘Do couples that fight stay together’ or ‘How to fight fair if you are too frustrated and irritated by the problem’. The key to keeping a relationship is in solving the problem constructively. Focus on what you are trying to achieve and be willing to compromise. Avoid character assassination at all costs. Try putting boundaries around your conflict so you don’t end up arguing about every negative incident that has ever happened to your relationship.
6- Learn to give and take in your relationship
The moment you enter into a relationship is the moment you commit to investing in your significant other. Relationships are a two-way street. You cannot always expect to be on the receiving end of the equation. If you want to reap care and love you ought to sow it. Instead of burdening your partner and making them responsible for your happiness which is completely unfair. Rather try investing in the relationship. This is how life and every other relationship works whether it be your family, friends, or siblings. Make effort towards growing it stronger and closer. Try doing something special for your partner and see them doing something sweeter in return. Compliment your partner often and find something positive in them daily. Let them know how supportive and proud you are to be their partner. Small and consistent gestures of kindness are required to keep a relationship interesting.
7- Communicate effectively to keep your relationship interesting
The most important tip to ‘How to keep a relationship is by communicating effectively. A relationship goes through different stages. The initial phase of a relationship is filled with verbal communication and affection. You want to know about every aspect of your partner. But as time goes by and life happens, fitting in quality time with your partner might not be in your priority list. This is when miscommunication leads to misunderstandings and overthinking. The best way to
ward off this feeling is by connecting through communication. Tell your partner what you need instead of making them guess. At the same time be aware of your partner’s needs and take note of their nonverbal cues. Be a good listener. Try paraphrasing to make sure what your partner said is clearly understood by you and ask for clarification if you didn’t. Communicate openly, honestly, and positively to keep the relationship alive. Here are some effective communication skills that you need to master.
8– To keep a relationship, keep the spark alive
This is my secret to a happy and healthy love life whenever someone asks me, ‘How do you maintain a relationship? It is the small and sweet gestures of love that ignited the flame at the start of a relationship. These loving acts can serve as the cheery on top of a relationship built on good communication, trust, and understanding. A simple brush of hands while passing by each other or a tight hug from the back can serve as fuel to the fire and keep the spark from burning out. Marriage is a ticket to date your partner for a lifetime. Physical intimacy boosts the body’s level of oxytocin, a hormone that influences your bonding and attachment. It gives you and your partner happiness and satisfaction. There’s nothing more important than being a reason for your partner’s happiness. So stop wondering, ‘Do intense relationships last’ and start living passionately.
9- Recognize that every relationship goes through ups and downs
Every couple’s journey is marked by a few or several hiccups which makes it rather difficult to keep a relationship. When you enter into a relationship you vow to stay in it through thick and thin. You have to deal with it. There will be disagreements, health, wealth, and family issues. You have to pass through ice and fire together to enjoy the happy times to the fullest. Imagine, if you never go through any hardship how will even celebrate when you achieve something? This is life’s way of reminding us to be grateful. You have to go through the hard times together to make your relationship grow even stronger and closer. Just as you can’t be happy all the time your relationship can’t be at a continuous high. Being in a relationship requires a commitment to ride through the highs and lows of life together.
10- Set goals as couples
Keep a relationship by setting goals as couples. Know the reason why you committed and be aware of what you want from it. Aim to achieve a certain level of contentment and understanding. Aim to grow and learn together. Appreciate and support each other when you see your partner adopting a healthy habit. Be a team of two striving to achieve a set of goals. By setting some common goals you know that your wins are their wins. You know that both of you are going in the same direction. You have someone special to celebrate with whenever you achieve a milestone. Numerous studies have shown that one of the elements of a happy relationship is striving to achieve certain goals together that are meaningful to both of you.
11- Give each other space
Human relationships are all about connections and bonding. But humans require space too. It is balancing the closeness and space that will keep a relationship healthy. Remember to not lose yourself while trying to be a source of happiness for your partner. You can only give to others when you have enough for yourself. Nurture yourself. Keep your individuality alive. Go out with
your friends without your partner. Have a movie night with your family. Respect each other’s privacy. Being in a relationship does not mean you have to be together constantly and share everything. It means giving each other enough space so that you don’t feel caged. Giving each other space does not mean secrecy or distrust. It means keeping healthy boundaries to be happy personally to enjoy a happy relationship. Spending some time apart is surely going to keep your authenticity alive to be happy personally.
Conclusion:-
You may read the most awesome list in the world about ‘How to keep a relationship but if you don’t act on it, it is of no use. It all comes down to the amount of effort you put in to grow your relationship. To make a relationship strong and healthy you need to consistently make small and big kind gestures to reap bigger rewards. Relationships require small amounts of effort every day to nurture the bond and make it unbreakable. It is not a single day’s work. But, if you keep these tips in mind your relationship will sail through the ups and downs of life. Practicing these tips is sure to keep a relationship forever.
