Having a long lasting relationship isn’t magic or just a bit of luck. There are certain qualities that you and your mate need to develop and have in order to create that marriage that will last a life time. Here are some things that you should look for and continually develop so that you and your partner will have that ‘forever’ relationship that you have always wanted.
Love
The love has got to be there in order for any relationship to last. We’re not talking about that heated, passionate love when you can’t keep your hands off of each other. We’re talking about that kind of love that you still have for your partner when they don’t have their make up on, when they may be wearing those sweatpants you absolutely abhor, or after a fight over who should do the dishes or the vacuuming. The love you need is that deep seated love that only time together and life experience will build.
Trust
If you don’t trust your partner, there’s a slim chance you two will weather the storm of both your engagement and future marriage together. If you don’t trust your partner, then that lack of trust will be the root to many bad arguments to come. Eventually one or both partners in the relationship will become fed up with the fact that their other partner is always suspicious of them, and they’ll ultimately bail and find someone who does trust them.
Honesty
To build on trust, you must always be honest. Even the smallest lie can lead to a huge breach in trust. You know your partner’s limits, and you know when a ‘lie’ is funny and not a big deal, and when a ‘lie’ is something serious. If you feel your heart rate pick up when telling a ‘lie’, you know it’s a bad one that you should tell your partner about. What many partners don’t seem to understand is that after they tell the lie, their spouse 1) already knows that they lied right there, or 2) the spouse will find out soon enough that you did. There are no real secrets in marriage, so keep it open. If you are thinking of doing something that you know will upset your partner, reconsider your choice and discuss it with them.
Friendship
You have to be friends to have a relationship last! More than anything it is your friendship that will really pull you out from those hard times you will surely encounter. You want your spouse to be someone you enjoy doing things with, who you enjoy talking to, and who you actually like being around. Sure, there will be times when you feel like you both can’t stand each other, but at the end of the day, you should both be able to joke and play around like friends, just as you did at the beginning of your relationship.
Everyone has different priorities in a relationship. Some many include appearance in that list above, or they may include education and career aspirations. To really make a relationship last, try to focus on not what the ‘outside’ of the person is, but really treasure and fall in love with their inner qualities, like their personality, their humor and their kind heart.
Tags: relationship ideas
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