Movies and books tell us that a love relationship can last, in the same way that they also tell us that it doesn’t. Nowadays, it seems that there are only a few individuals left who believe in a lasting romantic bond between partners. And sadly, the number is decreasing over time. Cynicism is the price we have to pay for allowing the print and new media to manipulate our world view.
We need to chop off a little of that cynicism from our body every now and then. Every one of us has a unique love story and therefore we shouldn’t look at our own relationship through the eyes of those who have failed in theirs. And if you perhaps encountered a failed one, stop dwelling on the past and let the present give you the joy and security it has long wanted to give you.
A healthy relationship involves effort from both parties. It is not far from having your dinner, where, before being able to eat a satisfying meal, you must first endure the hours of preparation (including the buying of ingredients and working hard for the money to be spent on the ingredients). To strengthen a relationship, there are required steps to take.
• Respect each other.
Respect in a relationship means understanding and accepting each other’s differences. Do not expect your partner to agree with you in everything, and do not be forced to always agree with your partner as well.
• Do not allow your past relationships to set a standard on your next.
Comparing past relationships with the one you have with your current partner will lead to being discontented, unhappy and frustrated to find a “better”, or even worse, a “perfect” relationship. Appreciate the strengths of your partner as well as accept his or her limitations.
• Be as honest as possible.
You may think that by lying you can protect yourself from possible misjudgments, your partner’s feelings from being hurt, or your relationship from being destroyed. However, most often than not, that isn’t the case. Lying cannot save anyone or anything – truth can. Being true to each other will help you and your partner to mature and your relationship to strengthen. You both just have to learn the skill of truth-telling without causing much damage to each other’s individuality.
• Recognize the problem and deal with it with proper timing.
By saying proper "timing", it can either be immediate or having to wait for a period of time. Problems between partners can be settled only if they know when to open their mouths and when not to.
• Invite growth in each other.
Do not live life as if your relationship with your partner is your only world. Before you entered that romantic bond, both of you have your own lives. Being together should never change that fact. Invite opportunities for one another to grow as individuals. It is indeed true that some relationships are slowly becoming nothing but chains to get away from because one doesn’t recognize the need of individuality. After all, a little "mystery" can make a love relationship more interesting and exciting.
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