Tips on keeping a great relationship

n0785

Hi this is my first post here

Ive been with my bf for 5 years and we get on like a house on fire and have no problems.

I like to treat him to wee surprises etc, trips away and meals out but wondering if anyone else has any ideas on how they keep a great relationship when your young and going together that length of time?

chrisv24

I think a bit of respect and love is all you need

marisco_2

Keep doing as you are OP. It sounds as if you are happy together and have a good life with each other. For a relationship to go the distance I think their needs to be trust, honesty, communication and mutual respect. The happiest couples take an interest in each other and want to help each other meet all their shared and independant plans and ambitions. They have each others backs and are each others best friends. If you have all that you have very strong foundations for a happy life in my book

Welcome to MSE

lika_86

Time apart. Not loads, but I think both people need the odd weekend to themselves without the other. I know some couples who whinge on Facebook about their partner being away even for one night which I think is unhealthy because you start to lose who you are as an individual and I think that knowing yourself and being comfortable in your own company is important.

n0785

lika_86 wrote: »

Time apart. Not loads, but I think both people need the odd weekend to themselves without the other. I know some couples who whinge on Facebook about their partner being away even for one night which I think is unhealthy because you start to lose who you are as an individual and I think that knowing yourself and being comfortable in your own company is important.

Hi, Thanks we don't live together. We see each other at weekends because we both work full time and we both like to come home and relax..:D

Although most weekends we do go out with friends together as we both have the same circle of friends but we don't spend our time in each others pockets..:D

marisco_2

n0785 wrote: »

we don't spend our time in each others pockets..:D

That is a healthy part of a good relationship too. Keeping a level of independance is important.

Joons

I think going out and living together/being married are quite different. When you are going out you don't have the same pressures of couples living together, paying joint bills, deciding what happens to the money etc, it's a harder test of how you work together. I also think going through hard times and coming out the other end stronger is a good testament to a long lasting relationships, you have to take the bad as well as the good, some folk can't and that's when the relationship breaks down, if you can survive life's knocks then you're doing ok.

Panda78

Welcome OP. Sounds like you are doing everything right so far! I didn't live with my last partner until we had dated for 4 years. Everyone thought we were leaving it too long, but it kept things fresh for us. Another test for LTR's is how you deal with unexpected problems; personal, family, financial etc. If you have a good base for communication already, as you seem to have, then you should be able to overcome them. For me the biggest part of a relationship is friendship. A lot of people don't seem to treat their partner's as nicely as they do their best friends!

n0785

Joons wrote: »

I think going out and living together/being married are quite different. When you are going out you don't have the same pressures of couples living together, paying joint bills, deciding what happens to the money etc, it's a harder test of how you work together. I also think going through hard times and coming out the other end stronger is a good testament to a long lasting relationships, you have to take the bad as well as the good, some folk can't and that's when the relationship breaks down, if you can survive life's knocks then you're doing ok.

Joons I totally agree, We have had our fair share of downs - believe me..:rotfl:but we have come out the other side smiling and happy!

I do agree about the whole living together that is a major test. Although that won't be happening until we are married. We do stay in each others houses all the time and get on extremely well with each others families (they call me their second daughter) lol

I'm extremely happy and would not want to change my relationship - just looking some advice on the little things that can help. ( I am 21 so we are quite young) although it does help that we were best friends before going out..lol

heartbreak_star

Sounds like you've built a great foundation for a strong relationship - you have shared interests etc but also a healthy degree of independence.

I do get a bit sad if OH is away for a couple of nights, or I am (we live together)...but I'm perfectly capable of occupying myself and it makes it all the better when we're back together again

HBS x

Joons

I think, absence does make the heart grow fonder - as long as it's for not too long a time, then you might find your heart looking somewhere else lol.