Ask your partner how they see the problem. That’s how you keep a relationship strong and happy. Saying “I love you” carries much more weight when you consistently do things your partner values. Saying “I love you” is one of the most crucial things to do to make your relationship stronger. Watch this video by Susan L. Adler, a relationship counselor to understand the how to make a relationship strong and happy. How to keep a relationship strong and happy doesn’t need to be a long, winding, complex process.
They weren’t always over the top, extravagant nights but they didn’t have to be to help bring us closer. Make quality time a non-negotiable in your relationship and see the impact it can have. When couples work together toward mutual goals, they foster collaboration that strengthens their bond.
Reading books, attending workshops, or going to couples therapy are all places you can find tools for growth. There’s a big difference between active listening and simply hearing. To avoid conflict and misunderstandings, you can learn how to quickly calm down before continuing a conversation. When you experience positive emotional cues from your partner, you feel loved and happy, and when you send positive emotional cues, your partner feels the same.
To make the most of this time, turn off distractions and tune into each other. Just as you put doctor’s appointments and work meetings on your calendar, you should be just as intentional when it comes to making time for your partner. You can even use the 45-minute window you normally would have spent watching your Instagram stories to catch up and connect with your significant other IRL.
However, when I decide to focus on all the good my husband does for me, the negative shrivels in comparison. It’s so easy to focus on what’s wrong, but paying attention to the good things will help you feel closer and happier. Take action today to build the relationship you want and deserve. Whether you need to focus on improving communication, sparking romance, or finding shared goals and aspirations to work toward, small steps can create meaningful change. If you need more support, it might be time to consider couples therapy.
Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist. Change is inevitable in life, and it will happen whether you go with it or fight it. Flexibility is essential to adapt to the change that is always taking place in any relationship, and it allows you to grow together through both the good times and the bad. Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, but to keep a relationship strong, both people need to feel they’ve been heard.
When communicating with others, we often focus on what we should say. However, effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. Listening well means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding the emotions the speaker is trying to convey.
Just setting a simple, well-defined goal or two can make a big difference over the year’s course — though you’ll probably start seeing benefits much sooner than that. Major upheavals and transitions in life, such as moving house, changing careers, dealing with a chronic illness, or having a baby can all affect the dynamic of your relationship. A skilled therapist can offer you the tools to manage stress and be flexible in how you overcome challenges and changes. If there’s been a betrayal or breach of trust in a relationship, it can take time and effort to repair the damage and rebuild trust between you. Having the input of a relationship expert can help you work together to heal old wounds and move forward together. Take a few minutes to relieve stress and calm down before you say or do something you’ll regret.
Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence, but without the partners truly relating to each other emotionally. While the union may seem stable on the surface, a lack of ongoing involvement and emotional connection serves only to add distance between two people. To keep your relationship strong, prioritize quality time together. Try new activities, like cooking classes or hiking, to create shared experiences. Communicate openly and honestly, expressing your needs and appreciating your partner. Show affection regularly, both physically and verbally, to maintain intimacy.
- Noticing who your partner is—not just how they appear—creates deeper emotional intimacy.
- And that’s something you’ll only know by talking deeply and honestly with your partner.
- Frequent, affectionate touch—holding hands, hugging, kissing—can be equally important, especially if your partner’s primary love language is physical touch.
- As your responsibilities grow (e.g. parenting, paying bills, moving up at work), it may be harder to pull off last-minute grand adventures.
You’re not afraid of (respectful) disagreement. Some couples talk things out quietly, while others may raise their voices and passionately disagree. The key in a strong relationship, though, is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to feel safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, degradation, or insisting on being right. It is important to understand how a relationship evolves with time.
How To Improve Your Communication In Romantic Relationships
This post is packed with therapist-approved, real-life ways to improve your relationship. Most relationship improvement happens in the small, everyday moments. Agree to disagree, if necessary, and take time away from the situation so everyone can calm down.
Good Communication
Ask your partner something new about themselves. Even if you’ve been together for a decade, people evolve. Learn to communicate your needs clearly instead of expecting mind reading or passive-aggressive sighs. That means using your words—actual words—not just dramatic huffs and door slams.
Or consider starting a gratitude jar or journal where you two can write down things you’re thankful for each day. Top tier membership removes ads from your experience and keeps our journalism accessible to all. Just independent reporting funded by readers who believe truth matters. Trying to force a solution can cause even more problems. Every person works through problems and issues in their own way. Continuing to move forward together can get you through the rough spots.
Your partner https://lovefortreview.com/ may sense something, but it might not be what you need. What’s more, people change, and what you needed and wanted five years ago, for example, may be very different now. So instead of letting resentment, misunderstanding, or anger grow when your partner continually gets it wrong, get in the habit of telling them exactly what you need.
Figure out how you react during disagreements and work on developing healthier patterns. Your conflict style impacts your relationship more than you think—and it’s not set in stone. And cranky people do not make good partners. Lack of sleep messes with your mood, your patience, and your ability to regulate emotions. Acceptance means loving the whole package, not just the parts you like. If you’re constantly waiting for them to change, you’re not really in a relationship with them.
Having that weekly date night was so much fun. I could feel the difference in our relationship when we were able to spend that one-on-one time with each other. It was a night we both looked forward to throughout the busy week. When some people hear date night, they can get overwhelmed because they think it has to be this huge thing, but it doesn’t. Some of our date nights were going on walks, doing taxes, having dinner together at home with no distractions or playing our favorite card game.
For example, instead of saying, “You make me feel bad” try “I feel bad when you do that”. However, as time goes by, the demands of work, family, other obligations, and the need we all have for time to ourselves can make it harder to find time together. A partner may have a habit of keeping secrets from you or outright lying. They might lie about big things, such as covering up an affair or stealing money from you, or be deceitful in smaller ways, making it hard for you to trust them. Ask your question related to this topic & get the support you deserve from experts.