Relationships are such a central part of our lives, whether that’s romantic, platonic, or familial. In a happy and healthy relationship, (and in a romantic one in particular), you and your partner will be communicating well, supporting one another, and providing each other with happiness, fun and enjoyment.
But this doesn’t always come easily or naturally.
Many of us have to work on our relationships to keep them positive, happy and healthy. Whether you’re experiencing problems in your relationship or not, the suggestions below can help you make your relationship work and improve you and your partner’s lives.
Communicate Openly
The first step towards success in any relationship is open communication.
However, many of us tend to be avoidant when we are unhappy or have problems. We may not want to risk upsetting our partner by providing criticism or letting them know that something is lacking in the relationship. But, open communication is extremely important if you want to make your relationship to work.
This doesn’t mean blurting out however you feel, regardless of anyone’s emotions. Instead, it means calm conversations where you bring up what is wrong or what you want to change and options that can help to resolve your unhappiness.
Work to Resolve Problems
If you find that there are issues in your relationship that keep coming up time and time again, it’s important to take active steps to resolve them. If you don’t, you and your partner will just keep arguing about them indefinitely, which isn’t healthy and will eventually just tear you apart.
Keep in mind that there are all sorts of services and resources out there that are specially designed to help with relationships. Couples therapy works well for a lot of people, providing a neutral setting to vent in and be guided towards reasonable conclusions. If you or your partner experiences love addiction, for example, there are services to help you overcome this too. Family therapy might be good for those with children as well.
Learn Your Partner’s Love Language
Have you considered what your partner wants most from your relationship?
Everyone has a different love language and catering to your partner’s can help them to feel loved and happy. There are five common love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch.
Words of affirmation involves telling your partner you love them and appreciate them on a regular basis, paying complements, and more. Acts of service involves carrying out small, kind, and thoughtful acts regularly that will bring a smile to your partner’s face. Receiving gifts means gifting your partner things they might like. Quality time involves making time in your schedule for your partner and ensuring you do nice things together. Physical touch can involve hand holding, hair stroking, hugging and more.
When it comes down to it, different steps will work for different relationships. If you really want to make your relationship work, getting to know your partner’s wants and needs and catering to them can really help. Make sure to put the effort and you will see the results!
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