It’s been said that nothing that’s worth doing is easy. The same is true for relationships. We’d like to think that all you need is love, but that’s like saying that all you need to live is oxygen. Yes, we can’t live without oxygen, but we need some other stuff to stay alive as well.
So what else comes with love? Hard work.
You can be deeply in love, but your relationship can still fail. If you want to save it, then here are a few suggestions that can help you.
Be Honest and Respectful
One of the first things to go in a failing relationship is communication.
You might talk to each other all the time, but are you communicating healthily?
Do you talk about your day? Do you talk about things that are important to you? Do you listen to your significant other when they talk?
When you do speak about things that matter, such as finances or your children, are you talking or arguing?
Yes, every relationship has its ups and downs and you might occasionally get frustrated with each other. But if every conversation ends up either petering away into nothing or into a shouting match, you have a problem.
A relationship counselor can help you to learn how to communicate with each other.
Otherwise, consider writing things down in a letter. Or, as well as thinking about things you’re concerned about, think about what you love about each other. Then talk about the good things, share compliments often.
Make Time for Each Other
Some couples struggle to communicate because they simply don’t have time for each other anymore. You can end up like roommates living completely different lives.
This can happen gradually, and it’s not always someone’s fault. You’re busy with work, family responsibilities, and your social life, and you take each other for granted. But over time, this lack of contact can and will put a strain on relationships.
If you can’t think of the last time you had a day or even an evening dedicated to your significant other, then it’s a clear sign that you need to put aside some time. If you can’t make them a priority in your life, and vice versa, your relationship is less of a relationship and more of a footnote.
Get to know each other again, especially if you’ve been together for a long time.
If Things Break Down
Sadly, no matter what you do, some relationships will fail. If you think you might be in this boat, do what you can to salvage your life instead of the relationship.
For example, if you’re married, learn more here about how to file for divorce so that you can do everything legally and above board. If you have children, you still need to work as a unit to protect them from the fallout and give them the best of both of you.
It can be impossible to put aside your emotions completely, but the cleaner things are, the easier it is to move on.