Relationships are like flowers that need nurturing to grow. When you see an excellent one that seems like it’s perfect, you should know that most of the time, that didn’t happen overnight. Maintaining a healthy relationship often requires work and also sacrifices. If not, it’s likely that it ends up fading away or crumbling at the site of pressure. There are many ways that you can keep the relationship growing, and most require you to be intentional and make a conscious effort. This article is going to discuss 5 different ways that you can maintain healthy relationships.
Open Communication
Communication tends to be the bedrock of every relationship, no matter what the nature of it is. Through speaking and interacting you’re able to keep a connection alive and bond with your significant other. Every couple has their own way of communicating and knows what works best for them. It is important, however, to communicate openly and effectively in order to avoid the negative turn of events that can happen in a case of miscommunication. Ensuring that the communication doesn’t stop and there’s a healthy flow of dialogue is also important to avoid a disconnect. Some ways of communicating with your partner include engaging in small talk, asking about and sharing experiences, listening effectively, and asking questions. On the matter of asking questions, the assumption is a common mistake that people make in relationships, so making it a habit to ask your partner to clarify something instead of assuming could take your relationship in a healthier direction.
Spend Time Together
You’ve likely heard it a million times before, but one of the keys to a healthy relationship is spending a healthy amount of time together. In this age of instant messaging, it can be easy to fall into the trap of texting more than talking and video calling more than real-life interaction. You should try and dedicate enough time on a weekly basis to spend time together and eliminate all distractions. You can engage in shared interests or try something you’ve both never done before as a way of experiencing one another in a new way. You could also try setting aside a day every week or twice a month for date night. By doing this, you give yourself a chance to nurture your relationship before it breaks down. If you’re stuck on ideas of things to do, think about going out to eat, playing a game of bowling, visiting a museum, or going to a concert. There are a wide variety of things to get up to no matter where you live if you’re open to exploration and trying new things.
Honesty
Being honest with your partner is crucial in order to build solid trust. When your partner feels that you’re honest with them, it also creates a sense of security and openness. You should be able to discuss anything whether it’s your finances, insecurities, personal struggles, or even things as sensitive as not being sexually satisfied. When you openly discuss things you’re more likely to find a solution such as male enhancements or sex toys in the instance of sexual dissatisfaction for example. You should, of course, try to be as mindful and sensitive as possible when being honest in order not to make the other person feel embarrassed, belittled, or hurt. This isn’t always possible as sometimes the truth hurts, but you can make an effort to still try your best to deliver your message in a positive way. Your partner may not happy with what you have in the underwear. You can try the endearment techniques as suggested here https://jesextender.com/how-to-get-a-bigger-penis. You should also remember that when your partner is being honest with you, it’s important that you try not to be defensive, overreact or take it too personally. This could discourage them from being open and honest with you in the future, so try and control your reaction when the roles are reversed. On that note, you should vow to be as honest as possible with your partner at all times in order to help keep your relationship healthy.
Empathy
Empathy is key in every relationship as it can help resolve a lot of conflicts. When you put yourself in the other person’s shoes, it is sometimes easier to understand how they feel and where they’re coming from. Some ways that you can work on being more empathetic include being present and actively listening. By doing these things, you may also find that you become more patient with your partner’s flaws and shortcomings. It can be difficult to be empathetic when you’re angry, annoyed, or hurt, but empathy is a key part of any healthy relationship.
Forgiveness
When you’ve been hurt or offended, it can often be difficult to let it go and move on. Depending on the extent to which your partner has hurt you, it’s possible that you may even battle with unforgiveness. You should know, however, that unforgiveness does more damage than it does good and offense is a natural part of every relationship. Even if you did decide to call the relationship off, you would still need to forgive for your benefit. Unforgiveness can cause high blood pressure, chronic stress, and other negative health issues. Whatever the case, it’s best to try and resolve the issue, express your hurt and give yourself time to heal. If you do have intentions of continuing the relationship, then you’ll have to accept that everybody has their own shortcomings and is deserving of forgiveness.
It isn’t always easy maintaining a relationship and there are times that you will want to throw in the towel. On those days, however, you should remember that good things seldom come about without work and that should give you the push you need to keep on trying and weather through the difficult times. There are going to be days that your relationship seems like a walk in the park and others where it feels like the hardest challenge you’ve faced. Either way, try and remember that healthy relationships are built over time, and maintaining them is just as important as the work that was put in to start the relationship in the first place.
