Love alone is not always sufficient to maintain a healthy and fulfilling relationship. Over time, dynamics change, responsibilities accumulate, and it becomes essential to cultivate a strong foundation to make the relationship last. Friendship, communication, complicity, and attentiveness to one another are essential pillars for preserving a harmonious and lasting relationship.
When the passion of the early days fades, friendship becomes the glue that binds a couple together. It is based on trust, mutual respect, and complicity. Being lovers and friends means knowing each other’s preferences, accepting one another’s strengths and weaknesses, and showing small daily gestures of care. These simple yet regular actions nurture the bond and strengthen marital happiness.
In a relationship involving children, presenting a united front is crucial. Parents serve as role models for their children, and their interactions directly shape how children perceive human relationships. Being consistent, sharing responsibilities, and acknowledging mistakes are essential values to instill. Demonstrating the ability to ask for help and learn from weaknesses sends a strong message of solidarity and resilience.
Good communication is key to avoiding misunderstandings and preventing conflicts. Nonviolent communication (NVC) is an effective approach that involves four steps:
For example, instead of blaming a partner for not helping with the children in the morning, it is more effective to share feelings (“I feel exhausted and overwhelmed”) and express a need (“I would like us to share this task”). Such an approach fosters constructive dialogue rather than escalating tensions.
Trust is a cornerstone of a relationship. It is important to keep commitments, or if unforeseen circumstances arise, to inform one’s partner rather than creating unmet expectations. Transparency and honesty are essential for maintaining a climate of trust and avoiding frustrations and misunderstandings.
Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, provides a useful tool for strengthening emotional bonds by understanding each other’s emotional needs:
By understanding their partner’s preferred love language, one can take targeted actions to strengthen the relationship.
Intimacy plays a central role in a couple’s harmony. Desire evolves over time, but certain key practices help keep a vibrant sex life:
The focus should not be on frequency but on the quality of shared intimate moments.
There is no magic formula for making a relationship last, but many ingredients contribute to nurturing it: friendship, complicity, communication, trust, and constant attention to one another. By taking care of this bond daily, a stronger and more fulfilling relationship is built, setting an example for children.
Love is a mutual commitment, a balance to be maintained, an adventure to be experienced together. Let’s cultivate it with kindness and sincerity.
Article written by Carole Forget, psychoeducator
Sources :