Committing to a relationship is not as easy as it sounds. Great relationships take a lot of work and patience. It will always have its ups and downs and there will always be an argument because we, as humans, are not perfect. Even if you've been dating for years, you still have to work on things to stay having a healthy and happy relationship. Same for those who are just starting their relationship. You have to be fully committed to have a long, healthy, and happy relationship. So here are some tips on how you can handle a healthy romantic relationship (given the fact that you really want to commit).
Have an open communication.
One of the most important things to have in any relationship is communication. Communication does not mean you always need to talk. Communication is when you both agreed to listen and talk about everything. This also includes the actions. When open communication is practiced, both of you will feel that each opinion heard and important and this can also lessen misunderstandings. Communication makes the partners feel heard, understood and cared for. Communication should be welcoming and both should be willing. Open communication includes the openness in discussing life issues, financial issues, emotional, physical and mental. And should be done by NOT focusing on the negative side.
Respect each other.
You should always respect one another. Don't insult your partner verbally, bodily, and emotionally. Insulting in any form, may lead to an abusive and/or toxic relationship. Directly or indirectly insulting you partner is a no no. Indirectly insulting may be things that you don't say straightforward but it's insulting or when you still flirt with others while you're on a relationship. When arguing, you both should still respect each other's opinion and should never use physical strength or weakness to win an argument. You should be able to express your thoughts without being scared about being judged, or anything worse. And you should be able to listen to your partner.
Compromise.
Respect that you both can have different views, opinions, behavior and characteristics. Accept each differences and agree on a common ground. Agree to compromise. Have a mutual agreement on things. Set standards that both are willing to take. Compromise means that the both of you set aside some demands to meet in the middle. By this way, it lessens the feeling that the other is always giving in and will sometimes result to irritation in the future.
Don't expect too much.
Keeping a lot of expectations from your partner puts a lot of pressure in him/her. This may lead to an unhealthy relationship. Don't demand things that are impossible for them to meet. And don't expect things to always go your way. Be contented and embrace the things he/she can only give you. This is not just material things. Expecting too much in general is not healthy in any relationship.
Be supportive.
Being a couple does not mean that you don't have lives outside your relationship. If he wants to do what he loves as long as it's not jeopardizing your relationship, support him. Be supportive of your partner in life, career and goals. DON'T discourage him to his dreams. Encourage him and support him especially when he needs you. Couples should pull each other up, not push each other down.
Respect their Privacy.
Some couples tend to forget that individual privacy still matters. If he/she does not want to give you his password, that does not mean they're cheating (although it usually is). Others just want their privacy be kept. Being in a relationship does not mean you always need to share everything. And when they open up with you with something private, respect that and keep it even when you're fighting. Respecting each other's privacy can also mean having a healthy boundaries. Which leads us to the next tip.
Set a healthy boundaries.
Setting healthy boundaries in a relationship is one of the best way to avoid a toxic relationship. Let him/her go out with friends, do activities he/she likes, and have the right not to share passwords. This does not mean you are hiding something to your partner. Let them share their password if they like to but don't demand it.
Never try to change your partner.
Let your partner be who she really is. Demanding to change them may lead to misunderstandings and arguments. You should always make your partner feel that they are accepted just the way they are. If you want him/her to change for something better, give them reasons to change and let them change by themselves.
Trust.
One of the most important foundation of a relationship is trust. Without trust, everything will fall apart. Without trust, you won't be able to accomplish anything. A relationship with doubts is a toxic relationship. It puts a lot of pressure on your partner. It will lead to a big argument over time. Relationship can easily shatter without trust. The more you trust your partner, the more your partner will be eager not to break your trust (given the fact they they are a good human being and/or they really love you). And the more you distrust them, the more they won't consider the consequences of their actions and the more they won't care about what you might feel towards their actions.
Be committed.
When we become part of a relationship, we should be sure that we are really committed. Both needs to be willing to face any struggles together. You should put each other first before anyone else. Putting the relationship first before anything else. Being committed to face all challenges together, and doing everything you can for each other and being committed to support and love each other leads to trust and affection. It takes you away from your fears and hesitations.
Love yourself as much you love your partner.
Loving yourself will let your partner know you have standards and you're serious in making yourself happy too. Because of that, your partner will try their best to lessen the ways that might hurt your feelings. Loving yourself involves being kind to yourself and being forgiving to yourself. If you can't love, be kind and be forgiving to yourself, how can you give love, be kind and be forgiving to others? Your partner will be more loving if he knows you value yourself just as much as you value him/her.
Be mature.
Being in a relationship needs have mature minds. Take responsibilities. Don't act like those you watch in the movies where girls just always being childish and boys always having a temper issues. You need to be mature when you enter a serious relationship. Don't fool around. If you want to play, play a game not a heart. Be mature enough to think things through before committing to something you can't even uphold.
Stop being a nagger, whiner, complainer and a blamer.
These are things that may seem cute in the movies and/or sometimes acceptable but when you do this regularly, it will lead to irritations. This gives stress in the relationship. Don't always blame your partner when everything turns out bad too. Take responsibility of your faults and stop making excuses.
Be honest, loyal and faithful.
It doesn't matter if you broke the vase or you lost your job. You need to be honest. Being honest builds trust. The only reason for a man/woman to lie to their partner is when they are preparing a surprise. If you can't be honest, how can one be sure to your true intentions. Loyalty, faithfulness and honesty results to trust.
Enjoy, be passionate and be positive.
A relationship that's full of negativity will never last long. Enjoy your time together, laugh together, have fun together. Let the passion lives in your relationship. Be passionate, be intimate. Be positive towards life and towards your relationship. A negative mind attracts negative force. Spend quality time together. Don't spoil the goodness by your negativity. You can even try something new that's fun together.
Being in a relationship may be challenging but when you love the person, you are willing to do everything for the relationship to work. And everything will be effortless. Being in-love not only means falling in love but also staying in love.
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Nice advice