7 Building Blocks of Successful Relationships
We all know that love is the main ingredient for any relationship. If either partner starts to doubt their feelings for the other person, the relationship is likely to end.
However, in spite of the fact that love is the most important element in any relationship, other things are necessary as well in order to create strong, stable, and happy relationships.
The art of loving comes with a series of characteristics that are needed in order to learn how to live together in a healthy way.
Knowing what these characteristics are, understanding them and applying them in life is one of the best ways to strengthen love and to ensure that a relationship endures.
Today, we’re going to share 7 primary building blocks that all relationships need in addition to love.
Do you want to read more about the secret of long-lasting relationships? True Love: Couple Married 75 Years Die in Same Bed
1. Trust
One of the greatest treasures that a couple can share is trust. This main ingredient is key for achieving happiness in oneself and within the other person. According to a study from the Oberta University of Catalonia, a lack of trust in a relationship can cause a lot of problems.
Whenever both parties practice feeling trust, the relationship will be peacefully nourished without any reason to worry when you’re not with the other.
If you don’t stop worrying and think about the other deceiving you, you’ll only create tension within the relationship. Internally, this will prevent you from fully enjoying each experience together.
2. Acceptance
Accepting someone is one thing, and trying to change someone is another.
Be careful! Often times, people say they accept their partner’s defects, but in some way or another, they are simply waiting for them to change.
It’s very important that you learn to accept your partner’s virtues and flaws. No one is perfect, and sometimes certain things simply make up another person’s personality.
However, if you’re talking about a change that is constructive for both, then let it happen. But this is only a good thing when it doesn’t force someone to repress him/herself or make them do something they don’t want to do.
3. Communication
One of the greatest pillars for success in a relationship is maintaining good communication.
You always need to be able to speak openly whenever you need to, to say what you feel and what you dream of, and to talk about anything that could be worrying you as the relationship develops.
Communication also needs to take place when facing sexuality, which is something that both parties absolutely must feel comfortable about. While it might not seem important, a study from the IPN Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico found that this is actually one of the foundations of a happy relationship. The study also emphasizes that having open communication about sex is a way to form more intimate bonds.
4. Commitment
“Together in the good times and the bad.”
This is how commitment should look when sharing one’s life with another person. No matter how good or bad things are in or out of the relationship, you must have the guarantee that you will overcome it together.
5. Respect
All lasting relationships grow stronger with this important value.
Respect ensures a healthy life together. Without respect, love simply cannot grow, and most likely negative emotions will overrun the relationship.
A study from the University of the Basque Country found that a lack of respect in a relationship can even lead to some types of abuse.
It’s very important that you know how to control situations where each person becomes angry or annoyed. It is during these times that most harmful words are said, so be careful! You always need to keep your cool.
6. Forgiveness
No relationship is perfect, and important tests can arise at any moment, which could be caused by a mistake.
Is it okay to forgive?
Not everyone is able to easily forgive, and it’s hard to forgive from the heart. However, this is very important in successful relationships because it is part of the growth and experience for both people.
There are some actions that are harder to forgive, which also may mean it’s not worth it to move forward. In these cases it’s best just to let go, at least for a while, to let your wounds completely heal.
No matter what, it’s not a good idea to pretend to forgive and to repress feelings just out of fear to be alone. You must learn to say goodbye when necessary. If you’ve been emotionally or physically abused, then this is absolutely necessary.
Your personal well-being comes before anything else.
7. Loyalty
A relationship that has endured unfaithfulness is lacking a key ingredient: loyalty. This element is strongly related to trust, but it’s important to emphasize loyalty because it helps to maintain trust.
Unfaithfulness hurts, destroys and creates chaos within a relationship. That’s why most relationships experience problems once one of the two decides to be unfaithful.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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Agoff, C., Rajsbaum, A., & Herrera, C. (2006). Perspectivas de las mujeres maltratadas sobre la violencia de pareja en México. Salud pública de México, 48, s307-s314.
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Cid, F. M. (2011). Los cuatro componentes de la relación de pareja. Revista electrónica de psicología Iztacala, 14(1), 321-332.
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Testor, C. P., GARAYOA, J. A. C., & PUJOLS, M. D. (2009). Psicoterapia psicoanalítica de pareja: teoría y práctica clínica. Apuntes de psicología, 27(2-3), 197-217.
