7 Simple But Powerful Things You Need To Be Doing In Your Relationship To Make It Last

1. Compliment them on their amazing qualities.

Who doesn’t like to feel good about themselves? Casually slide a “Wow, I love how ______ you are” or “You know, you’re ______ and I love that” into your conversations and it’ll be sure to catch them by surprise. Sure, they may already know how much you adore their sense of humor or their smile, but a little reminder never hurt.

2. Do little things to show them you care.

Grand declarations of love are great and all, but it’s the little things that count. You want to let your partner know you understand, love and care about them, so pay attention to their wants and needs. Bring over chocolate if they’re having a bad day or send them a picture of something that reminds you of them; Never stop being kind to each other.

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Please. This is the key to a happy, lasting relationship. If you keep sweeping your issues under the rug, you’re eventually going to trip over them and end up in a mess of a situation when it all blows up. Be honest with them about your wants and needs, and actually listen to what they have to say. It is so important that you are both open in expressing your thoughts, so that you can see the situation from the same level of understanding and with the same amount of context as the other person.

4. Know when to compromise.

You’re in a relationship. It’s not only about you anymore so you can’t be selfish. The world doesn’t revolve around you, and theirs shouldn’t either. Both of you are equals so you can’t have it your way all the time. Pick your battles and know when to give in to them. It’s about saying, “I disagree, but I understand.” Don’t think about it as who is right or wrong, but whether this is worth risking your relationship over.

You might be thinking, “If my relationship ends over something so petty, it probably wasn’t worth it in the first place!” Well, that’s not necessarily true, because you could have said things in the heat of the moment that you didn’t mean to that really hurt the other, and either one or both of you might regret that afterward.

5. Keep the spark alive.

The amount of time you spend together doesn’t have to turn your relationship dull. Try something new every now and then, be it an activity to do together, an exotic meal, or a new kink in the bedroom. If you both enjoy it, great! If not, it was still a novel experience. It doesn’t have to go perfectly, it just has to be fun. A couple that laughs together, stays together.

6. Continue being the person they fell in love with.

Being in a stable relationship can make us comfortable, which is perfectly fine, but this doesn’t mean becoming lazy. A relationship is a continuous effort and being the person you are is also a continuous effort. You can’t give up on yourself and become reliant on them. Stay in that art class and keep going to that gym. Be your best self, for both them and you. You’re not just two people entering a great relationship, you’re two great people entering a relationship and making it phenomenal.

7. Give them their space too.

I get it. You love them and you want to be with them as much as possible. The beauty of a relationship, however, is not only in the time you spend together, but the time you spend apart. They might need more alone time than you do and you have to respect that. Don’t suffocate them with affection (unless they’re into that). Remember, you can’t miss somebody who is always there. Get away for a while and have some time to yourself, so you can come back and share your experiences too.