The Truth about What Makes a Relationship Last ...

1. You're on the Same Page

You don't have to share the same hobbies, music taste, and sleep schedule. However, you do need to be on the same page when it comes to big life decisions. You need to be able to agree on a place to live, whether or not you want to marry or have kids, and how you would raise those hypothetical kids.

2. You Forgive Each Other

Your partner will eventually do something to upset you, just like you'll do something to upset him. However, you need to genuinely forgive each other if you want the relationship to last. If you stay bitter over the past, and continue to bring up old issues that should've been resolved already, your relationship will crumble.

3. The Timing Was Right

Timing plays an important role in the forming of relationships. You might meet the perfect person for you, but if they live in another country or are currently dating someone else, things might not work out between you, even though you'd be amazing together. Timing is everything, and there's nothing you can do to control it.

4. You're a Team

You shouldn't compete with your boyfriend over who has the higher salary, because you're eventually going to pool your money together. You can't argue over where to go to dinner, because you need to negotiate to come to a conclusion. Your relationship will last a long time if you act like you're part of a team, instead of as two separate individuals fighting for the superior position.

5. Not Letting the Honeymoon End

After you've been together for ten years, you don't have to make out as often as you did when you first met. However, you should make an effort to compliment your partner and say "I love you" just as often as you used to. Don't let your affection and appreciation for each other die, or the relationship will.

6. Encourage, but Don't Force Change

You should love your partner, flaws and all, which means you shouldn't want him to change. That's why you can't force your partner to alter his appearance or get a new job. However, you should feel free to encourage him to do something that he's scared to do. Although you don't want to force change, you want to encourage growth.

7. You Both Want It to Last Forever

A relationship isn't going to last, unless both people actually want it to last. Relationships are hard work, which means that you both need to try your hardest to make each other happy and to work through whatever problems pop up. If one of you doesn't have the desire to fix things, then they're going to remain broken until you end up breaking up.

Even if your relationship doesn't last forever, it doesn't make your partner any less important to you. Sometimes, things just don't work out. Do you think that your current relationship is going to last forever?