What is the Essential Ingredient Needed to Make a Relationship Last Forever

Often, just love is not enough... You also need a deeper understanding and be in sync with each other to be able to make it last the long haul. Even when you've achieved that, there are hurdles to overcome. Read on and find ways to make this one go the distance...

Be Flexible, or Pick Someone Like You

In terms of maintaining a long-term love, one of the best predictors or longevity is how similar your morals, values, goals and ways of thinking about important issues are. Obviously, the further apart you are, the greater the likelihood of frequent disagreements, unless you and your partner are particularly flexible people who are good at compromising. Of course, there will be still be arguments; that is a part of even the strongest relationships. But if the gap between the two of you is relatively small, your task of compromising will be much less onerous.

Give 80 Per Cent to Your Partner

Nothing solidifies love and trust like being thoughtful and giving toward your mate. If both of you are doing this, then each feels pretty satisfied and loved. Of course, there will be and should be times when you need to put yourself first but these times should be in the minority. If you give to your mate, he or she will really enjoy giving to you. Nothing breeds love quite like giving love.

Love On Balance

No one is perfect and you will not love everything about anyone. Unfortunately, many think that they are supposed to love everything about their partner and so when there's something they don't like, they begin to fixate on this trait and even try to change it. When it comes to love, you must take the good with the bad, because in the grand scheme of the relationship, the positive should outweigh the negative.

Determine Why You Are Happy

Marital dissatisfaction often has its roots in personal unhappiness (which can be related to work, level of success, health or weight, etc.). Often these personal shortcomings are blamed on the marriage. In fact, many couples that once chose to remain in unhappy marriages end up happy five years later even though nothing in the marriage itself has changed. So if you too fell that your relationship is making you miserable, step back and see if it's really you.

Treasure Your Life History

When you're with someone you love, it means you build something together. This is something irreplaceable in your life history. No one else will know you as intimately, ever. Who else will share your happiness and disappointments as fully, love your kids the way you do and hold the same memories of your family? These commonalities are often underrated by couples and then sorely missed when they are gone. Value, nurture and hold on to your life history, because it will be a tremendous source of pleasure to you both later.