We all want a great relationship. Ever since we were little, we watched fairy tales and romances that seemed so easy. Everyone talks about living happily ever after, but it is elusive and challenging to achieve for some. We all want to keep the love burning and stay with our partner long-term. The truth is, relationships are all different from each other, and we don’t know what will happen next. Fortunately, many people made it work and continue to live their fairy tales. This article is made to help all of us who are in dire need of direction.
Here are the top eight secrets to making love last for the long haul.

Communicate 

Every couple has misunderstandings and arguments throughout their marriage. It is unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean it should harm your relationship. No matter what it is, learn to communicate it to your partner. Understand that communication is the key to solving problems. If you can’t communicate with each other well, you can try marriage counseling. This will help you avoid innocent conversation turning into huge fights and feel like you are walking on eggshells. 
Don’t shut down and retreat, or you will just end up bottling up your feelings and exploding in the end. Sit down, communicate with each other and resolve any issue. It would also be best to allot an hour or so in a day just to talk and catch up with each other's life.

Be Affectionate With Each Other

Affection makes relationships harmonious. Giving and receiving affection means you care and love each other. It keeps the magic going and avoids growing apart. Lack of affection can damage a relationship. Most marriages fall apart because the other has gone cold or “not the same as before.” No one would like to stay with anyone who's not intimate and not loving towards them. Ensure that you show physical intimacy to strengthen the foundation of the marriage. 
If you feel that you or your partner is not affectionate anymore, it can be an indicator of an underlying issue. Take time to work together to rebuild the emotional connection. 

Place Your Trust Fully On Your Partner 

Trust is another foundation of any relationship. Trusting them will show that you feel secure that your partner loves you and is loyal towards you. You can think that you can rely on and confide with them anytime. If the trust has been broken, both of you should work hard to regain it, even if it will take time and a lot of effort.
Trust issues are very common in a relationship and can be a response to trauma. To casually build trust within yourself or towards your partner, you should always say what you mean and mean what to say. Moreover, express yourself clearly and give others the benefit of the doubt. Trusting each other will help your relationship in the long run. 

Respect One Another

Respecting one another will help you grow secure and be confident in your marriage. Being respected comes in many forms. You should always respect each other's time and ensure that when you commit something, fulfill them at the said time. May it be anniversary dates, house chores, or anything. Also, be consistent and watch your language in any situation. When having an argument or conversation, be wary of what you are going to say. It is easy to say something foul in the heat of the moment, but it is very hard to take them back. Being respectful also shows that you care about them. 

Spend Time Together As Much As You Can

With children, a career, and a house to care for, it can be hard to spend time with each other. You may see them every day, kiss each other goodbye in the morning and kiss goodnight at the end of the day, but it doesn’t equate to quality time together. Ensure that you regularly go on dates, try new things together, have quiet nights without your phone or kids, and give full attention even on brief periods that you are together. 
You both deserve as much time as each other. Spending quality time can help you have a healthier and stronger relationship for the years to come. 

Be Better

Always work for the betterment of yourself and your relationship. Take care of yourself, study more, acquire skills, be fit and healthy and practice self-love. Don’t slack off in everything and keep pushing yourself to be better. Be more resilient, compromise, and adapt when challenges come your way. It is easy just to let go of yourself and do something immature. Always be the bigger person and just focus on fixing and improving yourself in all ways possible.  

Be Each Other’s Friend

It is hard to be each other’s friend, but it can undoubtedly help you achieve a happier and healthier relationship. Don’t stop trying to get to know each other even after years of relationship. Have fun and laugh with each other, go on adventures together, make memories and share everything. By being each other's friends, both of you will have each other back in everything on good days and bad days. 

 Prioritize Your Marriage Above Anything Else

If you want to live happily ever after, you should prioritize your marriage above everything else. It can be a difficult thing to grasp for some, but it is the reality. Your partner will be with you for the rest of your life. All the other external factors will be gone or far away from you, such as jobs, friends, family, and children. Prioritizing your marriage and your partner doesn’t mean neglecting others. When you prioritize your marriage, you can do everything stated above easily. 
As the meaningful quote by Barnett R. Brickner says, “Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.”  Just knowing that you are eager to know and learn how to be a better partner and improve your relationship already proves that you are on the right track. By knowing what to do, you can now focus on building a stronger foundation for a successful marriage. There may be challenges and hardships that may come, but together you can overcome them. 

WRITTEN BY

Daria Brown