When it comes to relationships, it’s important to understand as early as now that it’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. However, this doesn’t mean making your bond stronger together is impossible, either, but it does need a bit of patience, time, and effort. In this article, you’ll be reading about some of the tips on how to make a stronger relationship when you’re a couple. Hopefully, you’ll be able to gain some useful insights as to how to make you and your partner’s relationship much stronger in the long run.
If you’re worried that good couples are happy all the time, you’re mistaken. In fact, it appears couples who regularly engage in honest arguments tend to get happier in the long run. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean curses are helpful, either. In fact, 90-percent of 100,000 people surveyed said they never cursed at their partners, and they’ve become happier as a result.
If you’ve been intrigued by these statistics, perhaps it’s time for you to read some more tips on how to make a stronger relationship with your partner:
- Romance still works: If you feel as though romance is a bit too cliche, you might be needing it to improve your relationship for the better. Buy into romantic notions and take a page off your favorite romantic comedy. Try to believe in soul mates, love at first sight, or that love never fades – couples appear to be more satisfied with their relationships when they try to be more romantic with each other, despite the cliche.
- Remain in constant communication: Whenever possible, try as much as possible to stay communicating. This doesn’t necessarily mean don’t leave each other’s side, but to at least always show availability when it comes to conversations. Always show interest whenever a partner is in need of someone to talk to about their hobbies, and don’t be hesitant to approach them about yours. Keeping a constant line of communication is essential when it comes to improving your relationship for the better.
- Be more thankful verbally: When your partner makes a gesture for you, be it small or big, try as much as possible to give thanks. This can greatly improve the outlook of your partner with themselves, and can greatly boost the satisfaction in your partnership. A relationship that tries its best to exemplify positive qualities, especially verbally, can create an aura of positivity that is infectious to both parties.
- Plan your dates more often: Whenever possible, try your best to plan your date nights. This is important as this extends a measure of control to both you and your partner, and these situations are extremely helpful when you know you’re both busy with your careers and rarely spend time with one another.
- Stay away from your gadgets: While today’s society has become increasingly dependent on smartphones and other gadgets, it’s important to make sure this doesn’t compromise your relationship in any way. Try your best not to focus on your smartphone, not to keep it in hand or within eyesight, or glance at your phones, as much as possible whenever you’re with your partner. This can have negative connotations and impact towards the rest of your relationship, especially since this shows your phone is much more important than the conversation.
- Always get to know each other: Despite years of knowing one another, couples can find reasons day after day to remain in love with their partners. This is something you and your partner should do. If possible, try as much as possible to get to know each other better – through quirks, discovering stuff together, trying out new experiences, or just conversing about news and topics you’ve encountered. If you’re interested in a service that can provide such assistance, click here.
- Reflect on your status as a couple: It’s extremely important to remember that while you may be doing things routinely as a couple, or while you might be happy in the company of one another, that reflection still does a great deal when it comes to developing the relationship. Weekly meetings, or monthly meetings, where you talk about your various responsibilities or other intimate issues, are important in making sure you and your partner are on the same page on various things that may affect your relationship in the long run.
- Be intimate at least once a week: Perhaps one of the most unique things you could do as a couple is to be intimate with one another and still make it quite the passionate and memorable experience. A recent study showed that couples who do have sex once a week tend to be much happier in their relationships – however, perhaps the catch here is to make sure the deed isn’t forced upon by the couple on themselves. This perhaps has something to do with how emotional connections are created and forged when both the bodies and hearts of couples bond.
- Make sure you’re both compassionate and understanding: Given you and your partner have different attitudes, personalities, and experiences, it’s very likely that both of you will not always see things on the same level. This is especially the case when there’s work, as both of you are most likely pursuing entirely different careers on different levels, each carrying their own sets of experiences unique to you. As such, when it comes to a long day at the office, it might not be enough to just be a sounding board. Rather, its’ essential to make sure they feel cared for, validated, and understood.
Conclusion: Tempered Relationships Through Time
Having someone to call a partner in life, be it in a marriage or in a relationship, can be a relief – especially given how life can sometimes just throw one problem after the other to the point of feeling overwhelmed. Having someone you know will be with you through thick and thin can be a bit of a breather, and may even push you to aim for the best in life. Of course, this doesn’t mean that all relationships are perfect, and even some of the best relationships still need a helping hand. The tips above on how to make a stronger relationship when you’re a couple can hopefully give you the kind of support you need.
About Author Philippa Page
Philippa is a warm and friendly therapist from Life Resolutions who prides herself on making clients feel welcome and comfortable in the therapeutic space. She believes it is important to take the time to really understand each client and treats the client as the expert in the room as they know themselves best. She uses a collaborative approach with clients to enable them to take an active role in therapy.