Maintaining a healthy, long-term and successful relationship is no easy task.
Every single relationship is special in its own right but at the same time, there is a distinct set of ‘rules’ that help preserve each and every one.
What makes a relationship so tricky is the people in it.
People are those who make it complicated, by not putting enough effort into it and still expecting it to be smooth sailing.
Nobody has the perfect relationship advice that would magically help run their relationship without a glitch but when two people are committed, faithful and determined to make it work, more often than not, that is exactly what will happen.
We as women have this tendency to put really high expectations on our partner and the relationship to the point where we forget that we exist as an individual outside of our relationship as well.
It is important to nurture ourself, our health and our own happiness, before we commit to making it work with our partner.
If you are not happy with yourself, you are never going to feel fulfilled in a relationship.
It will never fill that void you may feel on the inside but rather prolong your dissatisfaction until one day it erupts and you’re left dealing with the aftermath.
You are an individual with your own needs and it is imperative that you figure out what it is that makes you happy before investing so much of yourself into your romantic relationship.
Once you’re truly content with yourself, your relationship will be able to blossom to its full potential and there will be nothing but genuine love and happiness between you and your partner.
If you are ready to truly commit to bettering your romantic partnership, here are 12 empowering pieces of advice that will help you maintain and preserve it in the long run and keep you and your partner happy.
Relationship advice for women: 12 empowering things you must know
1. Nurture your own identity and commit to yourself
Many people enter a new relationship and automatically forget who they were before they met their partner.
It’s like they somehow morph into this new person who only exists as someone’s girlfriend.
No. Never lose sight of who you are on your own and never forget that you have a full life outside of your relationship or married life.
I know that your head is in the clouds and you feel like you could fly but think for a second.
If you were suddenly left single, who would you be? Would you recognize yourself without your boyfriend by your side?
If the answer is ‘no’, then make sure to change that.
Don’t forget about your friends. Visit your family and spend quality time with them.
Don’t give up your hobbies and be passionate about the things that make you happy.
That way, you’re still you and you won’t be mad at yourself later for letting yourself lose sight of all those things that make you happy to be alive!
2. Make sure that your connection with your partner is more than just physical
Don’t get me wrong. It’s extremely important to be physically attracted to your partner and be connected in that regard.
But what’s even more crucial is that you are compatible emotionally and mentally as well.
With time, the physical part may go away but the emotional connection you share will always be there.
If your relationship lacks in that area, it is highly unlikely that it will last for the long haul.
It is necessary for it to be based on something more meaningful and deeper than just sex.
Make sure to keep an eye on all areas of your relationship and never let it just be about one thing.
You should be able to talk to your partner about absolutely anything in the world and bare your soul to him but at the same time, be physically attracted to him and have him be the only one you can imagine being intimate with.
A healthy balance of emotions, physical attraction and genuine fun with each other is the perfect combination for a relationship that is likely to last a long time.
3. Avoid being a ‘clingy’ girlfriend
It’s one thing to be in regular communication but it’s a whole other thing bombarding him with texts at all hours of the day.
Nobody likes having their phone beep incessantly, so stop yourself from being too needy and clingy and give your man some breathing room!
He loves you, that’s a fact but he also deserves to have some free time to hang out with his buddies, to devote to his hobbies or to simply have a night of binge-watching his favorite show.
Don’t make him feel like you don’t trust him by demanding to know his whereabouts 24/7 and have some faith in him.
Eventually, you’ll know all about his day. So just give him a few hours to himself and patiently wait to see him the following day to hear all about it.
That way, he’ll appreciate you for giving him some breathing room and it will give him a chance to miss you. To me, that’s a win-win!
4. Never let yourself chase him
Chasing a guy is something we are all guilty of at some point or another, without even being fully aware of it!
It comes in many different forms and it makes a relationship extremely one-sided.
For example, make sure you’re not always the one to initiate the conversation.
In a healthy relationship, both partners should be equally eager to talk to each other so it’s never a good sign if your man never texts or calls first.
Never give a guy the satisfaction of chasing him and tending to his every need.
Don’t forget that you should be chased as well and he should make you feel like you’re worth it!
You don’t need a man who doesn’t make you feel wanted and puts in zero effort into loving you and taking care of you.
Find a guy who’ll make you feel like a catch every single day of the week! If he’s not biting, let him go.
5. Take good care of yourself
It’s so easy to complain that you just can’t seem to find your perfect guy and feel like all you ever do is attract losers and jerks… but did you ever stop to think that maybe you attract what you give out?
Sometimes, we forget our own worth and how amazing we really are and subconsciously lower our standards, which makes it virtually impossible to find a guy who we would actually feel good about!
Take care of your body, mind and soul. Do things that make you truly happy.
Never let anyone dictate how your life should go or who you should be around.
Remember, it’s perfectly fine taking some time for yourself. You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone!
Your mental health is important.
Commit to making yourself the best version you can be and never feel bad about keeping yourself happy and content.
You are your longest commitment.
Take care of yourself; only after you’ve realized the importance of this will you be able to truly commit to a relationship.
6. Be vocal about your wants and needs
You and your partner are a team. If there is a problem, speak up about it. If he is doing something that makes you uncomfortable, let him know.
If you need more from him, don’t be quiet and expect him to read your mind.
Relationships are a two-way street. Both partners need to be equally adamant in their efforts to make it work.
If you want love and respect, make sure you give it as well!
Never ignore your emotions. Don’t be passive-aggressive and then get mad for not having things your way.
Speak your mind and make sure you let your man do the same.
That is the only way you will both be genuinely satisfied and feel heard and loved.
Never stop putting in the effort and never take your partner for granted.
When you nurture your relationship and water it daily, you give yourself a great chance of remaining happy for a long, long time.
7. Deal with your relationship issues in time (never put them off!)
I think we can all agree that nobody really likes dealing with tough shit and committing to resolving problems.
So it’s just easier ignoring them and pretending like they don’t exist, until one day they all rise to the surface and wreak havoc on your seemingly perfect life…
Avoiding issues only puts off the inevitable—fighting and finding a mutually acceptable solution.
Only when you put it off for too long, it’s more difficult to contain it when it finally reappears.
This is why it’s always the best idea to resolve whatever is bothering you at the time when it’s happening, so you can move on with a clear mind, not having it pester you for days on end.
Piling up problems makes it all the more challenging at a later time because there’s always more than just that one thing and it all can easily spiral out of control.
If you care about your relationship and your partner, deal with problems in a timely manner and never put off what can be worked out presently.
You’ll most definitely regret it later otherwise.
8. Keep your relationship strong by always having enough quality time with your man
The best relationship advice you will hear is very simple: Always have time for your partner, no matter how crazy your days get.
Even one hour in a hectic day can make all the difference!
If you don’t give your relationship the attention it deserves, it can easily wither away…
So no matter what your day looks like, be sure to have an hour or two devoted solely to your man.
Forget about your job, bills and your annoying friend who is bugging the shit out of you that particular day.
Just be with him and be present. Feed off of each other’s energy and you’ll feel a million times more equipped to deal with whatever that day brings!
Don’t let your partner feel like he comes second.
If you can, always make sure to have as much time in the day for him as you can.
It’s those ‘little’ things that make all the difference and that’s what makes a relationship run smoothly.
9. Believe that you deserve to be treated with the utmost respect
Because you really do. No guy is worth you feeling like shit just because he’s so dreamy, so you let him get away with anything.
Immediately stop with that and demand respect and care.
The way you treat your partner is the way you should be treated in return. Nothing more and nothing less.
Your relationship is sacred and you need to feel safe and secure. He should be your rock, your confidante and your best friend.
In his company, you should be able to feel like there’s nothing you can’t say or do. There is zero room for judgment or guilt.
A good relationship consists of mutual respect and understanding.
If your partner is giving you neither of those two things, be sure that you deserve so much better.
Never let him make you feel like crappy treatment is what you deserve, because it’s not.
So if your relationship lacks respect, you’re most definitely with the wrong man.
10. Never stop trying and don’t become complacent
The moment you decide that you no longer have to put any effort into your relationship is the moment it all starts going downhill.
A relationship is a lifelong commitment. You can’t expect to feel happy or fulfilled if you don’t even try anymore.
You cannot half-ass a relationship, it doesn’t work that way.
Both you and your partner need to give it one hundred percent on all days. If one of you stops giving it your all, you can’t expect to prosper.
Bad days will come, that’s a given. But when they happen, have conversations about it. if you are struggling, let your partner put in the extra effort that day and vice versa.
Make him feel appreciated and he will make you feel the same way.
Complacency is the main enemy of relationships. Never let it get to that point and never stop showing you care.
11. Remember that you are a team and you’re always on the same side
When trouble arises, things can get messy really quickly.
This is when partners sometimes forget that what they’re actually fighting is the problem and NOT each other.
That somehow gets lost along the way. So remind yourselves what your goal is and be kind to each other. You both want the same thing!
Issues will always have a way of finding you, that’s just life.
But what makes a relationship strong and solid is having the ability to deal with them in a healthy manner.
Neither one of you is trying to diminish the other one’s worth and nobody’s goal is to break up.
Focus on the problem at hand and try to work it out in a way that makes you both comfortable.
When you act as a team, your problems get resolved twice as fast!
12. Don’t change for anyone and never try to change your partner
Your quirks, imperfections and all those little things are what makes you you.
Don’t change those for anyone, let alone a guy. Your individuality is what makes you so amazing!
A relationship is not an excuse to change who you are.
Your partner should love and accept you exactly the way you are and if you feel like he’s trying to change you in any way, let him know that’s not an option.
The same goes for him. Take him or leave him but don’t try to change him.
If you want to be with him, you’re going to have to learn to love him just the way he is.
Don’t delude yourself into thinking that once you get married you’ll be able to change him and morph him into somebody more to your liking.
That’s the wrong way to go about it!
If he’s not somebody you can accept for who he is, then perhaps you shouldn’t be with him in the first place.
It’s not fair expecting him to change for you, when you know you wouldn’t like him to ask the same of you.
Be who you are and let him be who he is. Anything else simply won’t work in the long run.
