8 Small Habits To Strengthen Your Love (+ Make It Last A Lifetime)

If you want your relationship to last a lifetime, you need to treat your partner right. Not just in the beginning of the relationship, but every single day of the relationship. Here are the habits that will bring you closer during your next life chapter:

Talking through your emotions instead of holding them back.

You don’t want to shut your partner out. You don’t want to leave them wondering why you’re upset or angry. You should feel comfortable coming to them with whatever is wrong. You should trust them to handle your heart gently, to avoid judging you, to comfort you and help you through your hardships.

Saying thank you instead of taking each other for granted.

It doesn’t matter if your partner has done a certain chore every single day since you’ve started dating. You should still thank them for contributing. Make sure their hard work is acknowledged. Make sure they know you’re aware of how much effort they’re putting in and that you appreciate it.  

Compromising instead of insisting on having your way.

You should treat your partner as your teammate. You should take their happiness as seriously as your own. And that means compromising with them instead of insisting that you’re right. It means working together to solve a problem instead of treating each other as opponents. Remember, you’re on the same side.

Vocalizing your love instead of assuming they already know how you feel.

Don’t assume your partner already knows how you feel. Even if they do, it never hurts to say the words. Remind them that you still love them, still appreciate them, still feel lucky to have them. Reassure them that nothing has changed and keep their confidence high.

Paying attention to their love language instead of giving them what you would want.

Your idea of romance might look different than your partner’s idea of romance. So make sure your thoughtful gestures are based on what they love, not what you love. Take their specific hobbies, thoughts, and opinions into consideration before you buy them an expensive gift or make a grand gesture.

Spending some time apart instead of spending every spare moment together.

You shouldn’t abandon your independence once you find your person. You should still pursue your own hobbies and cultivate your own friendships. As much as you want to spend quality time together, a few hours apart each week can be much healthier than spending every waking moment together.

Enforcing your boundaries instead of bending the rules for them.

You might think you’re doing your partner a favor by letting them get away with murder, but this is only going to hurt your bond in the long-run. It’s going to blur lines and make expectations unclear. It’s better to respect their boundaries and enforce your own from the start.

Asking for help when you need it instead of trying not to ‘burden’ them.

You shouldn’t keep secrets from your partner in order to protect them. If they genuinely care about you, then they will want to know how you’re feeling. They will want you to share what’s on your mind. You aren’t burdening them by opening up. You’re bringing them closer to you, emotionally.