Most of us are on the look out for a happy,
stable, lasting relationship, but so few of us
seem to be able to sustain a loving partnership
in the long term.

What are the secrets to staying in love and
keeping your relationship alive?

Choose your partner wisely
It doesn’t sound very romantic, but try to be a little
bit pragmatic about the person you choose to
commit to. If you share some of the same
interests, have similar ideas about how you see
your future and have compatible relationship
goals, you’ll be happier than if you have wildly
conflicting ideals.

Have a realistic view of long-term relationships
Whilst a strong attraction is an important part of a
relationship, you need to be aware that the initial
fireworks won’t last and you must be able to
accept that. A long-term relationship is a mellower
affair, which will have many ups and downs;
expecting it to be amazing all the time will only
lead to disappointment.

Always be honest
Whilst telling a lie can often seem preferable to
telling the truth, it will no doubt come back to bite
you. Little white lies have an alarming habit of
quickly growing into big black ones, so don’t be
tempted to start telling fibs. It’s especially
important to be honest about your feelings. If you
pretend everything’s alright instead of confronting
problems, your feelings will only fester and
become harder to deal with in the long run.

Talk to each other
We all know that communicating about our
problems and feelings is key to a happy
relationship, but it’s also crucial that you talk
about the little things too. The ability to have a
good conversation with your partner will enable
you to find each other stimulating, interesting and
fun to be around, even when the initial fireworks
have worn off. Laughing is equally as important
because humour is often the glue that keeps
people together.

Remember the little things
A recent study of relationships by the Open
University found that small tokens of appreciation,
such as saying thank you or bringing your partner
a cup of tea in bed, were more important to the
happiness of a couple than grand romantic
gestures. Whilst a bunch of flowers or a romantic
dinner is a lovely thing, you can’t do that all the
time; relationships are day-to-day affairs and
making the minutiae enjoyable will sustain you
both in the long-term.

www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/five-secrets-to-a-happy-relationship/