5 Tips to Strengthen Your Relationship

Because all relationships grow and change over time, even if you have a great relationship, there may be times when you feel like your bond could be stronger.

Consider these tips to fortify your partnership:

1. Take your partner’s side. To continue to grow an enriching, loving relationship, consistently advocate for your partner’s position, whether you agree with them or not. If you promise yourself to always be on the same side, then there will be fewer situations that divide you.

• Although disagreement can be appropriate, do so with tact and love instead of fighting. Let your differences lead to discussions that help you understand each other better rather than divide you. These types of honest discussions reinforce the love and respect you share.

2. Release past hurts. If you’ve been holding on to emotional pain related to your current partner or a past one, let it go. Keeping the hurt inside can stifle the love and affection you want in your relationship.

• If the pain results from your current partner’s actions, resolve the past situation so you can let go of that pain and move forward with your relationship.
• Letting go of past hurts allow you to feel freer to love and be close to your partner.

3. Be willing to try something new. If you want to truly connect with your partner, embrace the activities he loves to do. Even though the particular pastime may not be your cup of tea, show willingness to engage in his beloved activities with him.

• For example, if your partner invites you to go to an NFL game, you don’t have to be a football fan to go and enjoy yourself. Look at it this way: you’ll be there to share something really special with your love. He’ll be thrilled to have you there and will most likely recognize the sacrifice you made to share the experience with him.

4. Lose the need to be right. Winning arguments with your partner is overrated. After all, what value does being right really have? Insisting that the other person agree that you’re right and they’re wrong does nothing to increase positive feelings or strengthen the bond between you.

• Try focusing, instead, on accepting that there will be times when you might be correct and other times when he’s the one who’s right.
• Sometimes, these situations can be better resolved by sorting out how you each feel so you can find a middle ground that can bring you closer together rather than determining who’s right or wrong.

5. Celebrate your differences. Allow yourself to again experience the passion that brought you into the relationship. You have a responsibility to keep the flame going, which reinforces your connection. One way to do that is to truly embrace the ways in which you are different.

There are so many wonderful opportunities to ensure your partnership continues to blossom and grow stronger. Use these tips for inspiration to help you cultivate your cherished relationship and watch it thrive under your careful tending.

 

3 Crucial Steps to Healing a Broken Heart

The pain that we feel when our relationship with someone we love is ended can be very intense. Common symptoms of a broken heart include sadness, crying, and feeling physical aches and pains in the heart and body.

Symptoms of your grief can interfere with your health, well-being, and ability to function in your daily life!

If you’re dealing with the effects of a broken heart, you might be tempted to deny your feelings or withdraw from others so that no one can get close enough to hurt you again. However, denial and withdrawal are unproductive strategies.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to help you heal and move on, no matter how much time has passed since your break-up.

Try these strategies to begin to heal your broken heart today:

1. Cut off all contact and physically remove all reminders of your former love. Mementos from your life together hold you back from moving on. Just as a physical wound is unable to heal if you keep picking off the scab, holding on to anything that reminds you of your ex is simply going to prolong your misery.

• Get rid of your ex’s belongings. If they no longer want these items, donate them to a thrift store or charity that accepts used clothing and similar items.
• Remove pictures, gifts, love letters, or anything else that reminds you of your ex. Removing these reminders will help you to stop obsessing and rehashing past events.
• Remember your online and digital profiles. Delete every picture, text, and email that you received from your ex, and remove their information from your devices.
• Contact your friends and family members and let them know that the relationship is over. Ask them to avoid bringing up your ex. If your loved ones are having trouble complying with your request, you may need to limit your contact with them for a while.
• Stop going to the places that you frequented as a couple.
• By removing the physical reminders of your past life together, you’re literally clearing out both your mind and heart. This will allow you to grow and make a new life for yourself.

2. Take care of yourself as you heal. While it’s tempting to throw yourself into your work or drown your sorrows with too much food and alcohol, harmful escapes will only cause you to feel worse in the long run.

• Eat healthy foods and consider joining an exercise class that helps you socialize while releasing excess energy and getting fit.
• Start a new hobby. Great choices include taking classes to learn a new language or skill, or becoming a volunteer at a local school or charity.
• Focus on coping strategies that will boost your health and self-esteem.

3. Remain calm if you run into your ex. If you live in the same town, chances are great that you’ll eventually run into your former love. Prepare yourself for this eventuality so that you can cope effectively. Focus on your breathing, and keep any exchange brief and polite.

Healing from a broken heart isn’t easy, but practicing these strategies will help you to begin the process. If you are still having a hard time coping after a few weeks, you may want to consider seeking a relationship coach. A relationship coach will help you heal your broken heart, gain confidence and strength, and prepare you to love again without falling into old relationship patterns.

 

Habits of Highly Successful Couples

Have you ever wondered how some relationships are able to stand the test of time? Successful couples have habits that make long-term success more likely. Unsuccessful couples share a different set of habits. If you want a relationship that lasts, ensure that you and your partner build habits that support the relationship you desire.

These strategies create habits that support and strengthen your relationship:

1.Successful couples argue effectively. The purpose of any argument is resolution. However, unsuccessful couples argue with the intention of winning the argument by assigning blame or attacking the other person.

• Address behavior, but avoid attacking the other person. It’s much more constructive to say, “It upsets me, and I feel disrespected when you arrive late,” than to say, “Why are you always late? What’s wrong with you?”
• If you attack the other person, the natural response is to counterattack. This is destructive to your relationship. Focus on the behavior you wish to change.

2.Successful couples forgive quickly. Forgiveness isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary for a relationship to thrive and survive. Remember that no one is perfect. You’ve made your fair share of mistakes, even when your intentions have been pure. Your partner will make mistakes, too.

• The sooner you’re able to forgive each other, the sooner you can enjoy just being with each other again.

Consider the cost of carrying a grudge. You’re not only punishing you’re partner, you’re also punishing yourself. Forgive quickly and move on.

3.Successful couples have fun together. Partners don’t just share a home. They also enjoy spending time together. It’s easy to become too focused on work, paying the bills, and dealing with the challenges of life. Make time in your schedule to spend time quality time together.

• Not only will you become closer, but you’ll also enjoy your life more, too.

4.Successful couples share the same values. Do you share the same moral values? Do you have similar opinions on spending and saving money? Are your religious beliefs compatible? The more you have in common, the easier the relationship will be to maintain.

5.Successful couples share a common vision. Imagine if you wanted to live in a large city and focus on your career, while your partner was interested in country living and creating a family with five children. It’s important to be on the same path and work toward the same future.

6.Successful couples place a priority on the relationship. The most certain way to ensure that your relationship will last is to make it the most important thing in your life. If your career is more important, the odds of your relationship surviving long-term are slim.

• Are you willing to make your relationship your top priority? What will happen to your life if you don’t?

7.Successful couples are proactive. Address problems while they’re still small. In time, even the smallest misunderstandings can become major challenges. Set aside a few minutes each day and talk about any potential challenges. Focus on prevention. It’s like an oil change for your relationship.

8.Successful couples never stop dating. You don’t have to stop dating just because you’ve been together for years. Revisit a few old haunts and remember the old days. Find a babysitter and plan a bimonthly date night. Keep the romance alive.

• Remember how much fun you had together and know that you still can!

Successful couples make their relationship a priority. Ensure that your relationship habits are supporting your relationship rather than harming it. You’ll be glad you did!

 

How to Improve Lines of Communication with Your Loved Ones

When everyone in your life communicates well, things generally run smoothly. However, sometimes it can be tough to maintain a good connection, even with those closest to you.

Communication is a two-way street, and you’ll see the most success when everyone involved makes an effort to communicate effectively. Even when others miss the boat, though, strengthening your own communication skills will go a long way toward beneficial interactions.

Keep these tips in mind as you strengthen your communication skills:

1. Be flexible and open. Even if it’s not the most convenient time for you, strive to be there for your loved ones when they want to talk. It’s important for them to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with you.

2. When it’s possible, prepare what you’re going to say. Sometimes communication issues happen just because you don’t say what you mean. This happens more often than you think! Thinking it through before you speak ensures that you send the message you intend.

• Even in the middle of a conversation, take a moment to plan what you’re going to say next before you say it.

3. Be a good listener. Learning how to effectively listen is a full fifty percent of the battle. You can be great at speaking, but if you don’t understand others, the skill may be useless.

• You can strengthen your listening skills by just paying closer attention when others are speaking. Allow them to finish their thoughts before you speak again.

4. Avoid jumping to conclusions. Jumping to conclusions leads to unnecessary complications. You might be assuming something that isn’t even true. It’s important to find out your loved ones’ true thoughts and feelings and clarify yours as well. Knowing the whole story can save people from getting hurt by incorrect assumptions, yourself included.

5. Be understanding. Sometimes you’ll hold yourself and your loved ones to higher standards than you expect from others. Remember: no one is perfect, including you. If someone makes a mistake, explain to them that it’s okay.

• Avoid holding a grudge because it will only cloud your communication efforts with negativity and tension.

6. Be willing to compromise. Strive for the wisdom to recognize the difference between what you need out of a situation and what you want. The best solutions allow everyone to walk away from the situation satisfied with the outcome.

7. Practice your skills. Good communication is a skill that you can always strengthen. Relationships between people are ever changing and there’s always something new that you can learn.

• Be willing to continue learning how to better communicate with your loved ones. This exploration may enable your relationships to go that much deeper because you care enough to keep trying.

Remember that you should never be afraid to speak up when you’re talking with your loved ones. They’re not mind readers, and they deserve to know how you’re feeling! Conversely, it’s also important to be understanding and receptive to their feelings. Good communication can strengthen your bonds for a lifetime.

 

What a Healthy Partner Relationship Looks Like

Building your relationship with a partner that fits well with you is exciting and life-enhancing as the two of you look forward to a happy life together. You might even discuss hopes and dreams for the future. So how do you ensure that you get to keep this wonderful experience you’re building together?

There are many paths to a healthy partner relationship. However, once you get there, it most likely will look something like this:

1.Healthy partners exhibit excellent communication skills. They appear to be listening to one another. They look at one another during conversations. One talks while the other listens. They take turns talking and listening.

2.Healthy partners look like they’re enjoying life. Both partners will smile a lot. At the least, they’ll have looks of contentment when in the same room. In essence, they seem happy to be together.

3.They appear quite comfortable with one another. One partner might slip their hand into the other partner’s hand spontaneously.

• At a party, they might chat with others together or “separate” briefly to take part in conversations with others. Eventually, they’ll gravitate back to one another to see how the other’s doing. They “check in” frequently with each other.

4.Disagreements are handled using moderated voice volume and tone. In a relationship, there’s bound to be an occasional disagreement or misunderstanding. How these are handled makes all the difference.

• At those times, each partner will take special care to get hold of their own feelings and seek a resolution to the disagreement.

5.When necessary, one partner admits their error and apologizes to the other. In a close loving relationship, partners are honest with themselves and their partners regarding mistakes they make.

• Healthy partners understand that admitting when they’re wrong demonstrates that they’re supportive, caring and involved.

6.Healthy partners show genuine respect for one another. Such partners comprehend that sharing mutual respect sends impactful ongoing messages to one another of “I cherish you” and “You are special to me.”

7.Trust is obvious as the relationship grows. Healthy partners have no need to create drama through having suspicions about the other.

• The ability to trust another person depends on many factors and is quite complicated. People in healthy relationships put forth a lot of effort to figure out this process and, ultimately, earn and give trust.

8.They each care about how the other feels. If one partner notices a particular look or behavior by the other that is unusual or out of character, they’ll express concern and inquire about it.

• In essence, a healthy couple becomes consistently in tune with one another over time. In a sense, they monitor each other’s feelings.
  

9.Healthy partners have a shared social life. They make plans to have fun and go out as a couple sometimes and other times with friends.

• Having dates just with each other solidifies the partnership and ensures partners stay intimately connected. Healthy partners want to have dates and eagerly make time for them.
• By the same token, such partners also strive to share their beloved relationship with friends and family members. They occasionally go together to social events or evenings out with loved ones.

10.Healthy partners each have a solid sense of independence and a strong sense of self. Each can stand on his/her own two feet, if they so choose.

• Even though they have each other, each partner understands he is still an individual and brings something important and interesting to the relationship.

11.Their eyes still seek out each other and meet from across the room. Interestingly, partners in a healthy relationship want and seek their partners out more than they do anyone else.

• Healthy partners are also good friends. They’re interested in one another as individuals and truly strive to share as much time as possible.

Use the tips in this article to develop a healthy, long-lasting relationship. As you can see, building and maintaining a healthy relationship takes ongoing work, but the effort will pay off by bringing you many joys.