Estimated Read Time : 4 minutes

Question: What is your best relationship advice?

Answer:

• Learn to experience each other’s interests without bias. 
  • Support your partner’s hobbies and interests. Oftentimes they come from a personal place and can serve as important coping mechanisms.
  • Even if you do not find enjoyment in their hobbies, take time to understand why it’s important to them. Take time to experience them with them.
• Relationships are not a competition.
  • As much as you should not compete with other couples, you should not compete with each other either. 
  • Arguments are not a wrestling match. You aren’t trying to prove who’s right, you are trying to fix the problem.
  • As partners, it should always be the two of you against the problem.
• Communication is a two-way street and both sides matter. 
  • Even if you think you are right, it is not productive to assume the other person’s side is not important.
  • Listen with the intent to understand, not with the intent to respond. 
• Do not go to bed angry and do not confront conflict angry.
  • Always attempt to begin difficult conversations with a clear head. 
  • If you need to, create space for yourself until you are comfortable enough to confront the situation. 
• Learn to give each other space with you both need it. 
  • Sometimes having your partner around all the time does not help. 
  • Respect each other’s space, and be understanding when they ask for it. 
• Set and respect each other’s boundaries.
  • Be open and understanding when your partner sets boundaries. Even if you feel it is not important, you do not know how important those boundaries might be to your partner.
• Remember why you fell in love with each other.
  • Sometimes something as simple as remembering how it all started and why can help you both navigate the hard times. 
• Try to carve out time for each other outside the usual day-to-day.
  • Date nights, movie nights, random moments of exploring, walks in the park, etc. 
  • Removing yourselves from your daily routines to focus time on each other can be a healthy reset.
  • It might also help you both discover new experiences you both can enjoy together. 
• Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zones.
  • It can be trying something new, having difficult conversations, etc. These are all things you can navigate together.
  • Life begins outside of your comfort zones.
• It’s easy to say you love each other, but actions count as well.
  • Love is not a quick Band-Aid to put on wounds in your relationship, you need to take action to heal them. 
• Learn each other’s love languages. 
  • Whether it be physical touch, acts of service, or any other basic love language out there, you should take time to identify the love language that is prevalent for yourself and your partner. 
• Have an open mind about differences. 
  • Whether it be culture, religion, upbringing, rights, wrongs – everybody is different in so many ways and that is the truth of your relationship as well. 
  • Accepting each other is accepting each other’s differences.
• Learn to take accountability. 
  • Even if you do not know why something upset your partner, sometimes hearing them out and not getting defensive helps. This goes both ways.
• Take vacations as much as you can.
  • Sometimes growth happens outside of familiar spaces.