12 Tips on How to Keep a Relationship Strong

Why do relationships fizzle out over a year or after the first year?

Most of the time, couples shrug it off as the norm. They convince themselves that it’s just what happens to everyone else. Others are too focused on work and kids that they forget to work on their relationships.

But this should not happen. It should not be the norm.

Couples that keep their relationship strong don’t stop trying. They work hard to ensure that they stay connected and true to their goals. They know the kind of relationship they want to have, where they want it to go, and work for it.

But that’s not all.

These couples follow some basic principles that strengthen their relationships. These are principles that help keep their relationships fulfilling, meaningful, and exciting.

Interested in knowing what they are?

Well, this post looks at some of the basic principles you should follow if you want to keep a relationship strong.

Keep a Relationship Strong, Happy, and Healthy with These 12 Tips

Having a strong and healthy relationship can bring joy to your life. It can support you through the good and bad times while strengthening other aspects of your well-being.

However, while falling while in love is easy, getting this feeling to last for long is tough. It requires work and commitment.

Maybe you just started a relationship or have been in one for some time. Whichever the case, you need to follow some basic principles to preserve and keep a relationship strong.

These principles include:

1. Spend Quality Time Together

Remember when you first started dating?

You couldn’t get enough of each other and spent hours talking and listening. Everything seemed exciting, and you wanted to spend as much time as you could with your partner.

However, as days, months, or years went by, it became harder to find time for each other. Now you send hurried texts and emails or try to squeeze in calls between work and the kids.

But you should not let this happen if you want to keep a relationship strong.

Find time to spend together regularly, no matter how busy each of you is. Put away the electronics, focus on each other, and rekindle that feeling of togetherness.

2. Communicate

For couples to keep a relationship strong, they must communicate. However, most of the time, people have problems opening up or listening to each other. When this happens, you stop relating well and eventually disconnect.

So, what can you do?

• Keep communicating so long as you want to keep a relationship strong. It may sound cliché, but it works.
• Don’t make them guess. Tell your partner what you want.
• Open up to your partner.

It may not always be easy, and talking about issues could make you feel vulnerable, ashamed, or embarrassed. You may also assume that your partner knows what you need or what you are thinking.

It could be possible, but only if your partner is a mind reader. Otherwise, you must spell out your thoughts and needs clearly. 

They may have an idea, but telling them precisely what you want will help you avoid confusion and possible conflict.

1. Be conscious of non-verbal cues.

Non-verbal cues include tone of voice, eye contact, crossing arms, touching, etc. They sometimes say more than words could, and you should take note of them. Knowing them can give you an idea of your partner’s feelings so that you can respond appropriately. This can help you keep a relationship strong.

2. Listen

Another essential part of good communication is learning how to listen. Listening makes your partner feel valued and understood.

Why is this?

When you really listen, you can tell how your partner feels about the topic and the emotions they want to communicate. It can also breed a deeper emotional connection that keeps a relationship strong. It also makes the partner feel heard and this can help you bond better with them.

Maintain Physical Intimacy

Have you found yourself questioning if the magic is there anymore? 

Have things stopped being as amazing as they were when you two started dating?

You may keep wondering if they like you as much as they did before.

Don’t panic. 

You can still maintain physical intimacy and keep a relationship strong by doing several things. These include:

Have sex: Don’t ignore your carnal or physical instincts since they are healthy, natural, and normal. Have sex regularly, and if you cant, maybe due to distance, talk about it. It helps keep the spark alive.

Kiss a lot: Keep the intimacy alive by kissing on the lips, neck, forehead, etc. Kissing is a great way to show affection and keep a relationship strong.

Send romantic texts: When apart, send them romantic texts that express your love, admiration, or encouragement. Send some sexy ones too to spice your relationship up. This can keep the spark alive.

Date nights: Schedule regular date nights and spend quality time together as a couple.

Surprise them: Bring them a gift, take them to a game, cook them their favorite meal, or squeeze in a love note. Do whatever it takes to keep the excitement alive and prevent a rut in your relationship. This can help you keep a relationship strong.

Take a vacation together: Get away from the usual daily hustles and spend some time alone in each other’s company. You could rent a hotel for two nights, go for a cruise, take a weekend camping trip, etc. Taking time away from duties and work can remind you what you two mean to each other.

Touch affectionately: Frequently hold hands, hug, and play around with each other.

Physical intimacy can help keep a relationship strong. However, remember to avoid unwanted touching. Be sensitive to what your partner wants to avoid making them retreat or tense up.

Fight Fair

Every relationship goes through conflict. However, what’s important is how you deal with the problems.

To keep a relationship strong, fight fair, and jointly solve problems. Avoid criticizing, hostility, and confrontations. You should also steer away from absolutes like ‘always,’ ‘never,’ and ‘should’ during conflicts.

What should you do instead?

• Respect your partner’s point of view and focus on the issues at hand.
• Avoid fighting over things you cannot change. Know when to let go.
• Do not attack your partner directly. 
• Avoid dragging old fights into the new one.
• Forgive willingly.
• Take a break if a solution is not on the horizon. Take a walk or move to the next room until you calm down. 
• Don’t blame your partner for everything wrong with your relationship.
• Do not try to improve them or make them more like someone else.
• If you hurt or upset your partner, apologize for what you did, kiss or hug them, then promise to act or change.
• Know when to pick a fight if you want to keep a relationship strong. Don’t start tough talks when tired, drunk, hungry, or distracted.

Go Through the Highs and Lows Together

Every relationship has highs and lows.

You will not always read from the same page and should not, therefore, expect the relationship to be on a high all the time.

If you want to keep a relationship strong, you need to be ready to ride the highs and lows together.

For example, issues like stress from work, job loss, a cheating partner, death, health problems, etc., make it hard to relate sometimes. 

You may also have different points of view on how things need to be handled – like how to manage finances. This can lead to conflicts and lows in your relationship.  

So what should you do?

• Understand and respect that people deal with issues differently 
• Avoid tricking or forcing solutions, let them come naturally.
• Be open to making changes. Flexibility in a relationship can keep a relationship strong since it allows you to grow together.
• Seek outside help if situations get out of hand, or problems become overwhelming for both of you. You can consult a therapist, talk to a trusted friend, or even a religious figure.

Avoid Financial Crises

Finances are one of the reasons most people fight. So, to keep a relationship strong, you need to handle them well. 

How you earn money, spend it, or save it can lead to relationship challenges. Maybe one of you makes more money, is a savvy spender, loves to save, or has no limits.

In other cases, one partner is deep in debt or hides financial resources. It then leads to financial problems down the road, a dissolution, or constant fighting.

How can you avoid this?

• Discuss finances before you get married or start living together. Decide who handles what expenses so that when bills arrive, each one knows their responsibilities. Doing this not only strengthens your connection but can also keep a relationship strong. It also divides your responsibilities well.
• Have a financial plan or a monthly budget that outlines what spending is appropriate and which one is not. Doing this allows you to allocate funds to activities within your financial reach and can prevent disagreements.
• Decide on a saving plan. Saving for the future is essential and can help you take care of your long-term finances, especially when you grow old.

To keep a relationship strong, make money decisions a team effort. Solve problems together, and this can make you grow closer to each other too.

Give Each Other Space

As much as you want to spend every breathing moment with the love of your life, both of you need time apart.

Why? 

Time apart can allow you to grow as an individual while keeping your relationship healthy and exciting. And remember, individual growth can help you keep a relationship strong too. It will enable you to grow together while embracing each other’s individuality.

So, go on, take a trip alone, hang out with friends, go for a movie, or engage in a hobby.

Show Appreciation

You can keep a relationship strong by saying thank you whenever your partner does something for you. Appreciate the love you two have for each other and the effort they put into making the relationship work. Find something you love about them and tell them about it. 

However, make sure you do all this without expectations. Appreciate them for who they are and do not compare them to someone else. The appreciation should be natural, and not forced.

Maybe they volunteered to drop the kids at school on their way to work, mowed the lawn, or even cooked – let them know how much it means to you.

Appreciating the little things can help keep a relationship strong. It shows your partner that you appreciate and see the effort they put in. It can also make them feel more loved.

Create New Memories Together

One of the results of being in a relationship for long is that you get to know the other person really well. The negative side of this is that you get used to each other, which can make the relationship boring.

To keep a relationship strong, bring novelty to your relationship by creating new and unique memories. 

You can:

• Break up routine and try new activities together. For example, go to a different hotel, have breakfast in bed, go on a cruise, etc.
• Work together on a project. For example, cook together, garden, or paint the house.
• Engage in activities that require active involvement — for example, hiking, camping, playing games, etc.

Follow Through on Promises

To keep a relationship strong, you need to follow through on the promises you make.

Did you say you’d be home by dinner? Or maybe you promised to fix that pipe?

Whatever you promise to do, do it, and do it in time.

This shows your partner that you care about them and reiterates your commitment to making the relationship work.

Have Couple Rituals

You can keep a relationship strong by having rituals meant just for the two of you. Find something you enjoy doing together and commit to doing it no matter how busy your schedule is.

It could be having coffee together once a week, going on a date over the weekend, a few minutes to chat about the day before bed, taking a walk, etc.

Over time, these rituals can become the glue that helps hold your relationship together.

Perform Regular Relationship Maintenance

Do you go for regular physical check-ups at your doctor?

Or maybe, you take your car for an oil change every month.

The same should happen in your relationship.

Have regular check-ins to know what’s working, what needs changing, or how you both can work on keeping the relationship strong.

Why should you do this?

Human beings evolve. We go through transformations that can change our goals or visions. These transformations include change of careers, self-discovery, change of location, etc.

You and your partner continuously grow, both externally and emotionally. As this happens, you may start feeling like your partner does not appreciate you anymore. Or maybe they are so caught up in a new activity that they neglect the relationship.

Having regular meetings where you voice your thoughts on the relationship can help you get rid of any such disconnect and strengthen your bond.

It can ensure that your relationship evolves just as you and your partner do. A regular relationship check-in can also ensure that you and your partner are on the same page about the relationship, your needs, and your desires.

Are You Ready to Have a Strong and Fulfilling Relationship?

It’s possible to keep a relationship strong if you balance the act of receiving and giving. You may disagree on many things, or face challenges, but you can pass through the storm together through open communication.

You should work together to avoid any form of disconnect in your relationship while also practicing simple acts like saying thank you and spending time together.

If both of you commit to putting in the work, then you can keep the relationship strong and sustain the experience of falling in love continuously. Remember, give your relationship importance and it’ll give you happiness. 

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