6 Simple Ways To Improve Relationships

1. Fight In A Timely Fashion

All arguments should begin before 10 P.M. ET so that they are fully resolved before 2 A.M. at the latest. Nobody likes to go to bed angry with their lover, but we also don’t enjoy conflict resolution at five in the morning. Some people need a full eight-hour beauty rest, and bickering on the phone ‘til sunrise does a number on our chances of reaching REM cycle.

2. Fight In The Appropriate Environment

The right environment can be anywhere on the planet as long as nobody else is within audible range. At the party in front of everyone, or in the restaurant making that poor waitress feel super uncomfortable – that needs to not happen. It’s only awesome to watch a dysfunctional couple in action, not to be a contributing member of such dramatics.

3. Don’t Openly Share The Bad

If your friends, parents, siblings, cousins and that person you drunkenly rambled to all hate your boyfriend/girlfriend, ask yourself why? It might be because all they ever see or hear about your significant other is the negative. The not-so-subtle, angry Facebook statuses. If you make phone calls to others when you’re at peak frustration, all you’re going to talk about is how much you hate the person you’re with.

4. The Mistake 24-Hour Grace Period

We’re human. We’re flawed. There’s no CTRL+Z for life that allows us to undo mistakes (BIG or small). If someone screws up and you want to be sure that they know it, take a day to lightly bash and make jokes – after that, let it be history. Seriously, record-keeping stenographers who live in the past and bring up miscues make awful companions.

5. Don’t Drive Yourself Crazy Expecting The Worst

Either trust the person you’re with when they’re out of your sight or don’t be with them at all… Or you could just — you know, remain with them and turn into a crazy person. Sometimes it takes a conscious effort to just give the benefit of the doubt because it’s so easy to be skeptical in this scandalous day and age.

Taking five minutes to respond to a text doesn’t mean they’re in bed with another person (or two). Someone else liking his/her Facebook status doesn’t mean they’re hooking up. Of course nobody wants to be naive and made a fool of, but too suspicious isn’t a good look either. There’s a difference between aware and invasive, and it’s called asking who that was they were talking to and stealing their phone, locking yourself in a room and thumbing through their texts, contacts and web history with wide, psycho eyes.

6. Maintain Your Lawn

The grass will seem greener elsewhere. Obviously some relationships are unhealthy but there are many instances where people are quick to throw in the towel when the going gets a little tough. After having a rough week of arguments, going out with your single friends may seem a lot more appealing than browsing Netflix (not even watching – just perusing though every genre and undecidedly playing random clips of various crap). It’s not as glorious as it’ll seem, especially if you truly care about the person you’re with. Do what you can to create a happy environment, water your metaphorical grass instead of yearning for what others have – or don’t have.