Keys to a Great Relationship

Photo Courtesy of Sonja Andersen

“Being in a relationship is easy…..while everything is going right.”

Perhaps there is no other subject more widely discussed than the topic of love. Since the very first humans were able to express affection one to another, there has been a continual flow of opinions on the best way to make relationships work. Throughout the millennia, countless books have been written on the subject and some of them are quite touching. However, none of them matters if your own relationships aren’t working.

What is the answer to getting relationships to work? If this were a simple, one-sentence answer, it would be that for every relationship, there is a different answer.

The good news is that every human being is unique; however, that is also the very same challenge which makes having and maintaining good relationships problematic. Behaving the same way in each of your own relationships is virtually impossible and not a good idea whatsoever. The cold truth is that relationships take work and the closer the relationships are, the more likely a greater effort will be required.

Initially, it is important to understand the kind of association you wish to establish. Is the importance one which involves love and physically intimacy or is it someone you recently met and are hoping to create more of a comradery? Considering the nature of the relationship helps clarify the significance and amount of determination that will be needed.

In any substantive relationship, it is important to continue learning about the other person and creating a greater understanding of who he or she is. Oddly enough, getting a greater understanding is the basis for the definition of intimacy. Unfortunately, many men, upon hearing that word, correlate it with sex but that kind of interaction is not appropriate nor needed in most relationships.

One of the biggest hurdles involved in primary relationships is the fanciful and romantic ideals concocted about how exactly they should function and somehow if those preconceived notions aren’t met, then it points to a direct failure. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Spending time with someone while love emanates from the relationship, is easy. That’s precisely why new relationships are fun and exciting. The foibles and idiosyncrasies of the other person are still hidden and small mistakes are overlooked in the anticipation of the excitement and romance which is bound to ensue. Eventually, as a better understanding of that person becomes more clear, it results in these faults, quirks, and complications growing more prevalent.

The key to a great relationship is how those types of challenges and difficulties are met. Facing these issues head on is a much better indicator of love than how great the good times are. Be determined to work through the daunting and seemingly insurmountable moments because that will determine the ultimate success.

Any relationship worth having will require effort. This week, pay attention to some of yours and discern whether or not there is something you can do to add to it. Thank you to Sonja Anderson once again for the beautiful picture. She has provided several great and well-themed photos for my articles.