A strong, intimate relationship is built on a foundation of trust, honesty and attraction. Yet, sometimes love is not enough to make a relationship work. You need to put in time and dedication and you must be willing to work to make your relationship be as wonderful as it was when you and your partner first met and became a couple. When a relationship hits a milestone, the two partners may become complacent or even lazy. After the one year mark, a lot of relationships look quite different from how they were when they started. A lot of experts even like to say that the real relationship begins when the honeymoon is over. Here are 7 important things couples should know by their one year mark:
1 You Must Put in Effort for Your Relationship to Work
In the first year of a relationship, everything is just perfect. Nothing bothers you about your partner, you tend to make a lot of compromises to please your significant other, you often surprise them and you try your best to make your sweetheart happy. Well, if you want your relationship to work and you dream of growing old next to this wonderful person in your life, then you should be willing to do the same as the time passes.
2 There Will Be Fights
Don’t worry, no relationship is perfect. Everyone fights with their partner, no matter how far in their relationship they are. The important thing is to learn how to fight fair and how to resolve arguments in a more productive manner.
3 Go to Bed at the Same Time
No matter how busy you are or if your schedules differ, try to go to bed at the same time as your partner. This will improve the intimacy in your relationship and in time, it will strengthen that special bond that you two share. There’s nothing like a bedtime cuddle to make you feel more in love with your partner, so make this a habit and be one of those happy couples that grow old together.
4 Work out Your Common Interests
Experts say that the initial passion in a relationship won’t last forever, so make sure that there is some substance behind your relationship if you want to spend the rest of your life with your significant other. Don’t minimize the importance of those activities that you can do together and that you both enjoy. Do them more often and you’ll increase the intimacy and the passion in your relationship.
5 Always Hold Hands
Happy couples always hold hands, no matter how far in the relationship they are. They want to know that their partner is close and that they are in sync with them. This is also a sign of real comfort and sometimes it is more important to just be with your partner than to see the sights along the way.
6 Focus on What They do Right, Not What They do Wrong
Compliment your partner more often and try not to look for things that they do wrong. Focus on their positive qualities because they will remind you why you love them so much and why they mean the world to you. Happy couples accentuate the positives and totally forget about the negatives.
7 Don’t Forget to Show Your Affection!
No matter how busy or tired you are, always be affectionate with your partner and show them how much you love them. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day!” every morning and hug them when they come home from work. Don’t go to bed without saying good night to your loved done, no matter if you two had a fight and you are still upset. Show them you love them no matter what and that you still want to be in that relationship.
8 Dig Deep
To have a lasting and love filled relationship, you've got to dig deep into your partner. You need to build a bond and a connection so great that not even time can tear it apart. Be interested in their hopes and dreams and fears. Show them you'll be there for the long haul.
9 Have Boundaries
Most relationships that fail have no boundaries. They don't have trust so the other person is always in the business of their partner-in a way it's invading. Instead of pushing your partner to dig through their phone, trust them enough to know you don't need to and allow them their privacy and space.
10 Don't Fight Change
People are changing all the time, but if you fight it to try to keep your relationship in the same place, it's going to cause conflict. You both need to grow together and celebrate your growth. You can't stay the same for years on end, and you can't expect someone else to either. Just make sure you're growing the right way and you'll continue to build happiness and lasting love.
If you put a little effort into your relationship, you will manage to maintain and strengthen the love you share with your partner and you will live happily ever after enjoying each other’s company. Do you know any other things couples should know by their one year mark? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
Sources:
cosmopolitan.co.uk
marcandangel.com
lifebuzz.com
wewomen.com