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Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License<\/em><\/p>\n If you have any fantasies as to how blissful your relationship with your bae is going to be, then it\u2019s time to rid yourself of these \u2013 immediately! Life doesn\u2019t imitate art, although the opposite might be true \u2013 at least to some extent. Your life is not a fairy tale and there\u2019s no definite, clear-cut plan that your life and relationship will follow. So, get rid of the fantasies so that you won\u2019t be disappointed later.<\/p>\n Suggested read: 25 things I\u2019ve learned about love and relationships in 25 years<\/strong><\/p>\n 2. Forgive and forget<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve chosen to forgive your partner for any transgression \u2013 big or small \u2013 resolve to forget it as well. There\u2019s no use rehashing the same mistake again and again, like scratching at that scab, never letting it heal completely.<\/p>\n 3. You\u2019re a unit, a team<\/strong><\/p>\n Life throws unexpected obstacles in your path. That\u2019s when you value the partnership your partner offers you. They\u2019re there when you need them the most \u2013 come hell or high water. That\u2019s one of the nicest things about being in a relationship. You\u2019re a team who can face anything that life throws at you.<\/p>\n 4. Grow, and adapt<\/strong><\/p>\n As time goes by, you change, your priorities change, your dreams and aspirations change. But if you\u2019re still stuck at age 24 even when you\u2019re 40, then it\u2019s your own fault. Even if you\u2019re still stuck at 24, your partner would have grown up, changing your relationship dynamic as well. So don\u2019t fight change. Embrace it will both arms, learn from it; after all, change is the only constant in life.<\/p>\n 5. Travel together<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s said that traveling with your partner brings to the fore hidden aspects of their personality, and it couldn\u2019t be truer. Traveling together makes couples rely on each other in ways they wouldn\u2019t even have dreamed, making them value their relationship all the more. Plus, traveling always opens up your world to different perspectives, people, cultures, and of course, cuisine, making you a wholesome person.<\/p>\n 6. Pursue your own interests<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no rule that states that a couple should always pursue the same hobbies and be interested in the same things. Although it might seem counter-productive, following your own passions and interests will enrich your relationship.<\/p>\n 7. Have a wide, diverse circle of friends<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n His friends, her friends, and our friends \u2013 cultivate a diverse circle of friends. After all, meeting new people and getting to know them is always good. Plus, the different kinds of people you meet will make you appreciate your partner all the more.<\/p>\n 8. Don\u2019t keep score; it\u2019s not a game<\/strong><\/p>\n He took out the trash just twice last week. She fed the cat five days this week. He forgot his wet towel on the bed \u2013 again! She left her makeup on the vanity \u2013 again! For the love of all that\u2019s holy, STOP KEEPING SCORE! It\u2019s stupid, and not to mention childish.<\/p>\n 9. Keep yourselves healthy and fit<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no substitute for being healthy and fit. You owe it to your partner as well as to yourself to be in the best possible health. It\u2019s not about looking good, but of feeling good \u2013 from the inside out.<\/p>\n 10. Introspection is good for the soul<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n Introspect on what makes your relationship tick. Reflect on what and how you\u2019re contributing to your relationship. Are you being unfair? Controlling? Defensive? Domineering? Selfish?<\/p>\n 11. Admit when you\u2019re wrong (sometimes even when you\u2019re not)<\/strong><\/p>\n Owning up to your mistakes is probably one of the hardest things to do for anyone. However, this simple yet significant gesture will bring in huge amounts of happiness and peace to the relationship. After all, it\u2019s the right thing to do. Plus, you also grow as an individual. It\u2019s a win-win.<\/p>\n 12. Celebrate the little and the big things<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n Be it a promotion at the workplace or you got that tattoo that you\u2019d always wanted, toast your good fortune whenever you can. After all, it\u2019s these moments that become incredibly sweet memories a few years down the line<\/p>\n 13. The good little things<\/strong><\/p>\n Holding out a chair for her, suggesting a game night with him, paying attention when she\u2019s talking, complimenting him on his cooking skills \u2013 these good little things need to be appreciated and enjoyed.<\/p>\n 14. The bad little things<\/strong><\/p>\n A dirty sock on the pillow, curling iron on the vanity, farting like it\u2019s nobody\u2019s business, scratching your crotch, picking your nose, body odor, unkempt hair, messy closet. Ugh! Better to avoid these as much as possible \u2013 don\u2019t let these bad little things become the death knell for your relationship.<\/p>\n 15. Talk about sex<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n Sex is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. And like any other aspect of relationships, communication is key when it comes to sex too. If you don\u2019t talk about your likes and dislikes, fantasies and fetishes, how will your partner understand you? Do NOT make sex a taboo subject.<\/p>\n 16. Be each other\u2019s cheerleaders<\/strong><\/p>\n Everyone has insecurities \u2013 big or small. Your relationship is one place where you and your partner should be able to be yourselves \u2013 without holding anything back, without fear of judgment or derision. A couple should be able to help each other overcome these insecurities.<\/p>\n Suggested read: 15 secrets to a satisfying monogamous relationship<\/strong><\/p>\n 17. Subtlety never works; be direct<\/strong><\/p>\n If something your partner did annoys the heck out of you, say so. Don\u2019t hint about it, don\u2019t beat around the bush about it. Come right out and say so. TALK; work it out. After all, your partner is not a mind reader.<\/p>\n 18. No comparisons<\/strong><\/p>\n People have a tendency to over-romanticize and idealize their past relationships \u2013 STOP it. NEVER compare your partner with your ex.<\/p>\n 19. Calling each other names<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License<\/em><\/p>\n You\u2019re not in kindergarten any more. You\u2019re both mature adults, who\u2019re in an adult relationship (at least I hope so ;)). So don\u2019t call each other names and hurl insults like it\u2019s going out of fashion. Just STOP!<\/p>\n 20. Solutions are better than criticism<\/strong><\/p>\n Nobody likes to be criticized. In fact, anybody can criticize. A good partner will offer solutions instead of criticism.<\/p>\n 21. You are equals<\/strong><\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter who earns more money, it doesn\u2019t matter who takes on more household chores, it doesn\u2019t matter who puts the gas in the car. You\u2019re both EQUALS, PARTNERS, in the truest sense of the word.<\/p>\n 22. Compliment each other<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n Whether you like her new hairstyle or you like how his tie brings out the color of his eyes, tell your partner that. But NEVER go for false compliments. It\u2019s irritating and annoying, and frankly, disrespectful.<\/p>\n 23. Respect each other\u2019s family and friends<\/strong><\/p>\n Family and friends were there even before you came into the picture. So learn to accept their role in your partner\u2019s life and come to terms with it, even if you don\u2019t like them. You hardly spend a handful hours or a handful of days in their company. Just go with the flow.<\/p>\n 24. Know when to keep quiet<\/strong><\/p>\n As much as communication is important in a relationship, keeping your mouth shut is also important, if not more so. Learn to use your discretion.<\/p>\n 25. Respect space and time<\/strong><\/p>\n Giving your partner the time and space they need, from time to time, is the best thing you can do for them. If they do want your company, they know where to find you.<\/p>\n 26. Dress up; take pride in how you look<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n Just because you\u2019re in a relationship or married, doesn\u2019t mean you have to stop putting in effort to look good. It\u2019s not like you got a free pass to always lounge around in your sweats.<\/p>\n 27. Good personal hygiene \u2013 MATTERS!<\/strong><\/p>\n Unkempt hair, bad body odor, unclipped toenails, bad breath \u2013 poor personal hygiene is a mood killer like no other. Take care of that, for God\u2019s sake!<\/p>\n 28. Pettiness won\u2019t get you anywhere<\/strong><\/p>\n As mentioned above, you\u2019re not in kindergarten anymore. So stop being petty.<\/p>\n 29. Be independent<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n You may be a part of a unit, a team, now that you\u2019re in a relationship. But that doesn\u2019t mean you have to be fully dependent on your partner for certain things \u2013 like doing the laundry, cooking a meal, making a bank deposit and so on. You are first and foremost, an individual. Then<\/em>, you\u2019re part of a team.<\/p>\n 30. Be polite<\/strong><\/p>\n Politeness and good manners never hurt anybody. Yelling at little things, not helping your partner around the house, forgetting to feed the cat \u2013 are all, decidedly, NOT polite. So have good manners.<\/p>\n 31. Money is important too<\/strong><\/p>\n As much as you love your partner, your spouse, your girlfriend, you CANNOT survive on love alone. You need money for that. So be responsible with money. After all, it doesn\u2019t grow on trees, however much you might wish it were so!<\/p>\n 32. Remember to say \u2018please\u2019 and \u2018thank you\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License<\/em><\/p>\n You don\u2019t want to take your partner for granted. That would NEVER end well. So take care to say your \u2018please<\/em>s\u2019 and \u2018thank you<\/em>s.\u2019 It\u2019ll earn you brownie points \u2013 solid ones!<\/p>\n Suggested read: 14 challenges of being in a committed relationship<\/strong><\/p>\n 33. Throwing in the towel seems easy<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a relationship you\u2019re in; so there are bound to be moments where you want to quit it, give up on it, and even walk out. Sure, that\u2019s an option if you think it\u2019s just not working out. But have you considered all sides and aspects of your relationship before doing so? You should. You\u2019ll get insights into your relationship that you never dreamed of.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Relationships are hard, there\u2019s not question about it. They need serious efforts to build and sustain them. And not everyone is cut out for a relationship and all the effort it takes. You may think you\u2019ll get through it \u2018somehow.\u2019 But relationships are not something you sail through. You have to work hard at it, every hour of every day of every month you\u2019re in the relationship. And if you\u2019re one of those people who believes that they can weather the sickness and health, and everything in between, you\u2019re going to need two things \u2013 a short memory and a <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[2,9,13,14,15],"class_list":["post-287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marriage","tag-dating","tag-love","tag-marriage","tag-relationships","tag-top-10s","has_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=287"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dategd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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