The place to start in maintaining love is knowing your partner. Now, I’m sure some of you are thinking: ‘Dude, I’ve seen my partner practically everyday for countless years, I’ve even seen them use the bathroom! I think I know them.’ To that I would say, we can know all about a person but not really…
Catalog
Quotes tagged ‘longterm happiness’
The little moments – even if you’re both time-poor, small moments together can keep the connection strong. People often make the mistake of waiting until they go on holiday or have a romantic date-night booked for the intimacy fires to be stoked, but doing small things often means there’s always a l…
The number one reason that marriages fail is the lack of communicating with each other. Couples need to make sure that they spend as much time listening as they do talking. Although we all wish our spouses could be mind readers, we have to give up that myth. Sorry! Let your spouse know what you need…
Over the course of a long relationship, you’ll be making thousands of decisions jointly, and the conflict that can inspire is a real danger zone for couples. Dr. Josh Klapow advises that couples proactively learn how to make good joint decisions with techniques like setting a goal for the decision t…
Indeed, sustaining a long-term relationship takes effort. 'You start to gain such familiarity that you don't put the effort into paying attention to each other,' says Sheryl Kingsberg, clinical psychologist and professor in the department of reproductive biology at Case Western Reserve University in…
It’s hard to think about another person before yourself, but self-sacrifice is a choice that helps love last. It can be as little as offering that last piece of chocolate in the box, or deciding to hang out with your love because she had a bad day instead of going out with your friends. No, you shou…
While those late nights you had while dating — staying up till 2 A.M. talking, feeling too excited to sleep — don't last forever, the idea of courting your partner should never totally disappear. When we first meet people, we are very observant. We go out of our way to do small things to show them t…
I'm embarrassed to think of how I coped with conflict early in my relationship with Jonathan. I stormed out — a lot. I once threw an apple at his head. Hard. (Don't worry, I missed — on purpose.) I had a terrible habit of threatening divorce at the slightest provocation. But eventually I figured tha…
Engage in Lots of Eye Gazing — New couples seem to do this naturally, but don’t drop this strong bonding behavior just because the relationship has progressed. This is one way to keep the romance alive and is especially powerful when making love.
If you expect your partner to make you happy, you are demanding love. If you were happy when you were single, you’re more likely to be happy in your relationship. And when you’re happy, you can focus on ‘sharing your love’ instead of ‘demanding happiness.’
An effective strategy to effect positive growth and transformation in your relationship is to ‘be the change’ you want to see. If you want more of ‘something,’ start with giving what you want to receive. If you want more patience, be patient. If you want more affection, express your love more demons…
Focus on Haves, Not Have-Nots. Energy flows where attention goes. Remember why you fell in love, why you chose your beloved. Focus on what you have, and it will expand. What you appreciate appreciates in value.
Silly little tradition that works for us: He tucks me in every night. I go to bed earlier than he does so I can wake up earlier for work, so he'll pull the covers over me, turn down the lights and TV, lie with me for a minute, and give me a little hug. It's a nice quiet moment that reminds us how mu…
Be nice to each other. For the vast majority of couples that come to see me, this is their first homework assignment, and it almost always helps in a significant way. If you’ve been at odds with each other, you have probably stopped doing nice things for one another. Keep opening doors, making nice…
The only way to lasting fulfillment in a relationship is by offering my love freely without expecting anything in return for it.
To put it simply, love does NOT conquer all. All is a lot. It’s literally everything. To say that love conquers all is hyperbolic and misleading. It’s also a dangerous belief to hold onto because it engenders a kind of hopeful laziness. People who cling to the notion that everything will work out as…
Dwelling on the bad things won’t change those things. It’s better to think of all the good times you’ve spent together.
Your partner’s best qualities—the ones that make you love them so damn much—will fail them sometimes. Because a person’s greatest strengths are also their greatest weaknesses.
I’m sorry, but there’s no one on the planet who’s immune to temptation.
The thing about relationships is that they tend to grow stronger with time all on their own. Moments are constantly transforming into shared memories, good and bad. Nothing can stop the timeline of your existence as a couple from getting longer, day after day, or the roots of your bond from growing…