Relationships: Good Ingredients

Are there key ingredients that make relationships work well? The short answer is yes.

Commitment

Commitment to making the relationship strong and healthy is the foundation on which it can grow. Relationships take work. They take effort. Like life itself, relationships are dynamic, ever changing because we are ever changing. A strong relationship requires continuous nurturing, and that takes commitment. — Jerry Lopper

Respect, Trust, Equality
Trust must be an assumed attitude that is fundamental to commitment to the relationship. For without our inherent trust of each other, we will be unable to grant freedom, to treat each other with respect and equality, and be supportive.

The other person sees you, treats you, and feels about you, as you would like to be seen, treated, and felt about. To the degree that their view of you is in sync with the view you would like them to have, to that degree you will feel good both about them and yourself.

Correspondingly, if you see them and treat them as they wish to be seen and treated, then they will feel good about you and themselves. And, when both parties to a relationship see the other person and treat them as they wish to be seen and treated, then you have the basic ingredient for an enduring and productive relationship.

Freedom and Complementarity
It can be tempting to lean on your partner and rely on them for reassurance, but the stronger you are as an individual, the stronger and more equal your relationship will be. However, when you feel confident and secure within yourself, you can enjoy being with your partner for the joy they bring to your life, not because you feel you need them to survive. Granting another person the freedom to be themselves, to stretch and grow or to wither and stagnate, is the ultimate result of love–unconditional love.

Mutual Affection
It may be more romantic to talk about love, but it’s important to remember that love is an emotion that comes and goes. Healthy relationships happen between two people who really like each other. If you genuinely like each other, enjoy being together, and share the same dreams in life, then loving will never be far away.

Physical Affection
Every couple knows their sex life may have dry periods, but our need for physical affection never changes. Touching is a vital human need. Studies have shown that without touching, many animals – including humans – will die in childhood. Being caressed also lowers blood pressure and releases natural opiates in the brain, as well as the chemical oxytocin, which is essential for human pair-bonding.

Time Together
The importance of things can be measured by the amount of time we’re willing to devote to them. Making such time for each other is an investment in your relationship. Recognize that you don’t spend regular quality time together, chances are you’ll drift apart.

Communication
Communication is simple the ability to share express and listen to your partner at all times. Fairness is much more important then simply communicating because fairness keeps balance and harmony in the relationship.

Talking is the way we let each other into our private worlds. It’s the only way you can tell your partner who you are, what you want and why you behave the way you do. Communicating is about learning to say openly and honestly exactly what you think and feel. And it also means listening to your partner without judgment.

Support and Understanding
The behavior of someone is changeable but personalities sustain. Its just best to understand the type of person you really want in your life before jumping into a relationship that you won’t really be happy in. Even though there can be completely different personalities between two people in a relationship, most people can be in a deeply loving and fulfilling relationship when they experience support and understanding.

Healthy conflict resolution
When confusion or problems come up…they should be dealt with immediately before they grow into issues that could burden the entire relationship in the long run or end it. Arguments are a normal part of a relationship. A good argument is an opportunity to share your feelings and strengthen your bond by reaching a decision you’re both happy with. It can be an experience that leaves you both feeling more confident about your relationship and brings you closer together.

In successful relationships, couples learn to adapt and change together. They accept that change is an inevitable part of human life and support each other. Change can provide opportunities for growth and intimacy, but it can also be painful. It may mean adjusting to a new way of thinking or a new way of life. It may also mean letting go of things that have been familiar and safe.

References:
The secrets of successful relationships
Relationships and advice about creating a good relationship
Good Relationships: A Recipe
7 Steps to Good Relationships

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Are Cyberspace Relationships Underrated?
Eight Suggestions for Improving Your Relationships
Relationships: Transformation and Commitment

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A down to earth woman, a passionate wordpress blogging tips blogger, a meditator, and a conscious living and self improvement blogger.

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