Relationships are alive. They breathe, live and need nurturing. If you don’t take care of your relationship, then it would probably die. And who wants that right?

Fairytale relationships don’t just happen over night. Actually there is no such thing as a fairytale relationship but you can make your relationship happier by working on it.

Learn the Basics

Before I spill the beans on how to give you the lowdown on how to maintain your relationship, you first need to learn the basics. Many relationships fail because couples focus on too complicated goals and desires and forget the basics.

So here are the basic things you need to have so that your relationship can grow and stay alive no matter what:

1. Friendship – No brainer here. If you don’t friendship you will eventually tire of each other or end up hating each other.

2. Want each other’s company – You don’t need to be together 24/7 but you need to like each other to hang out.

3. Don’t take your partner for granted – Big no-no! Taking each other for granted kills the feelings.

4. Always be honest – Honestly is the best policy as they say. Honesty keeps trust, so if you don’t have it, there is no point of having a relationship.

5. Trust – OK, stop trying to crack your partner’s phone swipe key. Not cool. If you love your bf/gf, husband or wife, you should trust them.

6. Loyalty – No cheating. Unless you both agreed to be polygamous, CHEATING IS NOT COOL!

7. Sex – Yeah, if you stop having sex, problems happen. So take some time off your busy lives and jump into bed.

8. Effort – Never treat your beloved like a roommate. You do need to buy him that pizza that he likes and you need to buy her those chocolates for Valentines day.

OK, so those are the basics. Easy right? Well not really. But if you remember them, you will make your relationship last!

5 Simple Ways You Can ACTUALLY Do to Keep Your Relationship Alive

So now you know the basics, let’s go to stuff you can actually do to help your relationship stand the test of time.

1. Have Meals Together

Having meals together foster a sense of belongingness. Eating together has been held sacred by almost all cultures in the world. Some wedding ceremonies include feeding each other because food symbolizes life.

When you seat down to eat, you actually open a part yourself with someone. You have a conversation over a meal. You share a satisfying moment with someone you love when you eat. This boosts oxytocin in the brain that keeps you bonded to each other.

Make it a point to each with each other at least thrice a week if you live with each other or even more. If you don’t live with each other yet, then do it at least once or twice a week.

2. Talk to Each Other

I read this article about a husband who stopped talking to his wife for many years. That is just heartbreaking!

Talking to each other allows you to get to know your partner more. I mean we all grow and change so we always learn something new by talking to each other.

Talking to each other means listening to each other and just hear blah, blah, blah. Talking builds a special bond with one another. And also having good a conversation is priceless.

When you’re both old you will be thankful to have someone who you can just have a decent conversation with.

3. Make Each Other Smile

Yeah, a smile is the sexiest curve in a person’s body. When you smile, it activates feel good neurotransmitters in your brain. So imagine what making your partner smile can do for your relationship.

You can be goofy and make them laugh. Laughter is such a huge help in a relationship.

Make some effort and try to sweep your partner off their feet once in a while.

Send each other cute messages. I mean anything do anything that you may think is cheesy.

It does not matter even if you have kids, or you’ve been together for years. A bit of cheesyness makes a person smile!

4. Put Down Your Cellphone

Your phone may have made life more convenient and fun for you, but it’s not your sweetheart! Put it down!

Don’t bring your phone to bed and keep on staring at it. Stop scrolling up and down through social media. If you partner is next to you, make him or her your priority.

There has been a zillion studies stating how too much use of gadgets specially your phone can damage your relationship.

Don’t look at your phone when you’re talking or eating. Don’t post your fights on social media. Basically give your beau your attention and choose him or her over your phone.

5. Say Sorry

I know saying sorry is difficult (for some people) because it basically means admitting you’re wrong. But you have to do it.

Ask yourself what’s more important, your pride or your relationship?

It all boils down to that.

And sometimes you even have to say sorry even if it’s not your fault. This is called humility.

If you want to stay together, you have to learn how to compromise and apologize.

Final Thoughts

So there you go. A few words of wisdom that can amp up your relationship. Loving someone is a walk in the park. Effort is needed.

If you apply these steps, it will help you and your honey stay together.