Need some relationship advice? Sure, you can ask your friends for their advice and opinions on your relationship issues. However, it’s always best to seek help from an outside source or impartial party.
Relationships are a lot of work, not to mention how to get a girl to like you. So, guys have a hard time, too. You might think you have it all together, but you’re only human and you are bound to make mistakes.
Relationship tips go far behind how to get a guy to like you. It means keeping the relationship alive, with honesty and trust. Relationships are a lot of work, but they are definitely worth it.
We have gathered some relationship pieces of advice from experts that can help give you some insights into how to make your relationship last.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
Romance novels, television, and movies have given us unrealistic expectations of romance and relationships. Sadly, not every relationship is a Nicholas Sparks movie. Sure, it might start out all candlelight dinners and moonlit walks on the beach, but after a while, real life sets in. That doesn’t devalue the relationship, but all of that sappy romance would get boring eventually.
The best relationship advice is to keep your feet on the ground and your head (and heart) out of the clouds. You’re not perfect and neither is your partner. They have issues and insecurities just as you do. But if you truly love each other, you can work through them and learn to accept their imperfections, just as they accept yours. By setting the bar too high in the romance department you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. A real relationship is based on reality as well as on mutual love, trust, and respect.
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2. Give Your Partner Space
Of course, when you’re in love, you want to spend every waking moment together. However, this is not healthy. It is important for both you and your partner that you maintain separate identities. Go out with your friends, take separate vacations, set aside some “me” time every day. You need to maintain a sense of self in your relationship in order to have a happy and healthy relationship.
3. Don’t Base Your Happiness Solely on Your Relationship
Yes, your relationship should make you feel happy and fulfilled. However, it is not the only aspect of your life. As stated above, you need to set aside time for yourself. Have some separate hobbies from your significant other. Maintain separate friendships and focus on your career. Your relationship should not be the sole source of contentment in your life.
4. Make Sure You Are in a Relationship for the Right Reasons
Don’t stay in a relationship where you do not feel valued, safe, and loved. Never stay in one where you feel threatened. Many people enter into relationships (and stay there) for the wrong reason. You do not need a relationship to be “complete” or because society “says so.” You will not be content in a relationship if you entered it for the wrong reasons. Make sure that you are on the same page as your partner. Never enter a relationship because you are pressured to do so.
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5. Treat Your Partner with Respect
Perhaps one of the most important pieces of relationship advice anyone can tell you is to treat your partner with respect. You need to have faith in your partner and faith in yourself. Not only is it critical to respect your partner, but self-respect is also crucial. You cannot love or respect another unless you love and respect yourself first. Respect your partner's needs and wants, as well as their beliefs and views. If you earn their respect, they will respect you in return.
6. Communicate Openly with Your Significant Other
Along with respect, open and honest communication is a key factor in a happy and successful relationship. Talk openly about your feelings and don’t keep anything hidden from your partner. Trust, respect, and communication are the main building blocks of a healthy relationship. Always be honest with your partner. Too many relationships have ended as a result of dishonesty, secrets, and lack of communication.
7. Embrace and Encourage Healthy Growth and Change
Change and growth are a natural part of life. Your relationship is going to evolve and change. Life is going to be difficult at times. And you have to realize that neither you nor your partner is going to stay exactly the same forever. You are both going to grow and evolve. Make sure that you are growing and maturing instead of going backward.
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8. Go with the Flow
As we stated above, life is going to be challenging at times and things are going to change. Some changes will be difficult, but so are most changes in our life, and it’s for the better. Learn to be flexible and embrace the change. Don’t be so rigid that life passes you by. You only have one life, so embrace it!
9. Learn to Fight Fair
Arguments are inevitable. Every couple is going to argue at some point. However, if you learn to fight fair (like a mature adult instead of a petulant child), your relationship will be a lot smoother. Never come to name-calling and hurtful insults that you’ll regret later. If it gets too heated, take a step back until you both calm down and then resume the discussion at a later time.
10. Practice Forgiveness
Learn to forgive your partner and yourself. You cannot have a healthy and happy relationship if you are holding a grudge from a fight you had 5 years ago. As we said before, you are both human and you are going to make mistakes. Learn to let it go and move on!
11. Physical Intimacy Is Crucial
Physical intimacy is just as important as emotional intimacy. You and your partner need to be on the same page sexually. Keep the spark alive in the bedroom, and your relationship will be more meaningful and fulfilling.
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12. Set Relationship Rules and Boundaries
Rules may seem childish and naive, but realistically, couples who have set rules tend to be a lot happier. Set rules on how to divide the finances, housework, and so forth. It can save a lot of arguments later on!
13. Cherish the Little Things
Romance doesn't always have to be grand romantic gestures such as weekends in Paris and diamond jewelry. Sometimes all your partner needs is a simple “I love you.” Keep doing the little things you did at the beginning of your relationship. A love note in their lunch, a simple word of encouragement, a single rose, a massage after a long day. The little things add up, and these will be the things you both cherish in the end!
See, that was easy! If you take our relationship advice, you and your partner will be happy for many years to come!
