Everybody knows that being in a relationship isn’t always about hearts and flowers. It always begins with a few months of the best time of your life. Every night is date night. And you can’t eat, sleep, or even just sit in silence without thinking about each other. You’re both on cloud 9, 24/7.
Then, just like in the movies, something or someone will cause conflict, and you will find yourselves learning a new side of your partner. You give it time because you will both realize that you can’t live without each other and that you should move on to the next chapter of your relationship.
Some couples learn to grow in this cycle, but others don’t. And before you even start looking for a wedding venue, building a better, stronger relationship is a must. Try to do it from an alternate point of view in these five unusual ways to build a better relationship.
Spend Time Apart
Absence always makes the heart grow fonder, which means being together all the time also has its downside. It’s important to still be an individual even if you’re in a relationship. There should be time with your partner and time with yourself. And learning how to be alone and happy means you have the inner strength to handle a more complicated life with a partner. Let’s face it; being with someone is always more complicated than being alone. You have to consider your partner’s needs and wants or his schedule and availability compared to just making one single decision for yourself without having to be influenced by someone else’s. So, remember, having a life of your own will strengthen you as an individual, which in turn will help you be strong enough to handle any relationship.
Respect Boundaries
Your partner is trying to finish an important email and is not responding to the sweet nothings you’re whispering in his ear. Do you get angry? Will you continue to bother him or let him finish the email? If you find yourself getting offended by this simple rejection, it’s time to think again. Acknowledging each other’s boundaries is important because it teaches both of you to respect each other. Getting angry with him because he didn’t respond to you might seem a little immature and selfish. It takes time to get used to respecting boundaries, but the key is to be open about it. Talk about the boundaries that you may have and come to an agreement that it’s nothing personal. Soon, you’ll find yourselves maturing gracefully into your relationship.
Talk About the Past
What’s past is past. It’s never appropriate to bring back faults that you or your partner has done because it will only come down to blame. However, if what happened in the past is actually something that made a significant change in your relationship, it’s something worth revisiting. In your idle time, try to remember a vacation you both went to. Also, you can try to recall your firsts: your first date, the first time you went to the beach, your first kiss, or your first fight. Talking about these things can always rekindle the spark of the first months when you were both madly in love. Of course, timing is the key. Make sure to start conversations like these only when the mood is light and neutral. You wouldn’t want to open a can of worms now, would you?
Don’t Forget Your Me-Time
The ideal thought is that life is easier when you’re in a relationship, but the reality is that it really isn’t 100%. You may feel that he’s your better half and that you can’t imagine life without him. So, how did you survive before you met him? Keep in mind that taking care of yourself comes naturally. You have to know how to take care of yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself for your partner.
Have a Friend-Zone
The best relationships are those that started as friendships because true friends are the ones who get you through life’s roller coaster ride. Be a friend to your partner by listening to his worries at work, or how he feels about a friend who’s giving him a hard time or about a colleague who gets on his nerves without doing anything. These may seem like mediocre conversations between partners, but between friends, it can build a relationship that’s way beyond romantic. Letting your partner know that he can depend on your unbiased opinions can help him build a stronger bond of trust and respect with you.
At some point, the norm has taught the world the opposite of all this. And most people think that being together 24/7 and taking your partner’s side is what works all the time. However, if you really look into a mature relationship, it’s the one that teaches you how to handle conflict without hurting your partner. In the end, it’s two individually strong people who can have an even stronger relationship.
