Some couples, despite all odds and despite what most would predict, end up spending the rest of their lives together. Conversely, some couples, couples that appear to be a match made in heaven end up breaking up.
So, what are the factors that indicate who will last forever, and who won’t? While love is not a one-size-fits-all type of dynamic, there is no exact recipe for love. But, there are most definitely signs that assure us that a relationship will last forever. The reason for this is that much of what causes a relationship to last lies within our habits. And not just the habits of one partner, but the combined habits of both.
With that being said, here are 12 signs a couple will stay in love forever.
1. They don’t keep secrets.
Open communication and transparency are extremely important for a relationship to work. Couples who stay together stay honest with one another. If something doesn’t feel right, they express what is going on in their mind. If they are considering a big purchase, they let their partner know. When couples start harboring secrets from one another, those secrets only end up dividing them and tearing them apart.
2. They spend true quality time together.
Quality time is so important. And not just time together, where you both stare into space or at your phones, but real quality time. Not only does spending quality time establish a bond between the partners, but it also makes communication, trust, and intimacy possible.
3. They respect each other’s autonomy.
And while quality time is important, it’s also important for the two individuals who are in the relationship to have time to cultivate their personalities and life as well. Space is important and time apart is important. When you lose sight of who you are, because of the relationship, you stop being the person your partner fell in love with.
4. They are teammates.
The makings of a good relationship include two people who are teammates. They work together to be a team and support and love each other no matter what. They aren’t fighting against one another, it’s them against the world.
5. They genuinely respect one another.
Without respect, nothing else is possible in a relationship. Two people who respect one another can grow together and thrive together.
6. They can compromise.
Compromise is the ability to put your desires to the side, to give a little bit, to find common ground. It’s saying that it’s okay that you don’t have to get exactly what you want if it means that you and your partner can find a way that works for both of you. And compromise is the middle ground that bridges the disagreement gap between you and your partner.
7. They fight for the relationship, not their ego.
A sure sign of a couple that is going to stay together is a couple that fights the right way. You might be shaking your head because you likely believe that a couple who argues is a couple that is doomed for failure. The fact is, though, no two people can be together without disagreeing. It just isn’t possible. But, if you can navigate through that disagreement, say your piece, hear theirs and find a way to keep pushing, instead of fighting against them to ‘win’ you are in a healthy relationship.
8. They support each other.
It’s so important to support your partner. When they decide they want to pursue their dreams, if you say, “That’s such a dumb idea, you will never be able to do that!” you are showing them that you have no trust. You have to be the catalyst for them to do what no one else believes they can accomplish.
9. They love each other’s flaws.
If you look at a couple who has been together for years, you are likely going to find a couple that is accepting of one another. In the beginning, we are so in love, so infatuated and so under the influence of the spark of passion that we overlook each other’s flaws. Then, as the spark dies down and life becomes normal, those flaws can start to get to each of you. For a bit, there is a struggle, but because you love each other, you have to accept the flaws or leave each other. Or you can despise one another, and that isn’t a recipe for a long-term commitment. So, couples who learn to accept each other are far more likely to stay together.
10. They are best friends.
It’s so important to establish a friendship with your partner, before anything else. Because when the spark does die down from time to time, there needs to be something real that holds the two of you together. And friendship is a long-lasting glue.
11. They can make each other laugh.
If you ask most people who are single what they look for in a partner, they are going to say, “Someone who can make me laugh.” The reason we love people who can make us laugh is that laughing feels good. And when we are around people who make us feel good – we want to be around them more.
12. You can read each other’s thoughts.
Something happens when two people are on the same wave length. It may sound crazy, but I and my husband who have been together for a long time can seriously finish each other’s sentences sometimes. Or, I will be thinking something, and he says it out loud. And vice versa.