Open and honest communication.
The first thing that I need to mention is probably the same thing that everybody will mention and that is quality communication. For us, this was quite a hurdle. I am a chatter. I can talk to everybody about my feelings and deep emotions. Whereas my husband is a closed book and to be honest, a rather quiet person. Trying to engage in those deep and meaningful conversations that long-lasting relationships are built on, was hard and took work. But we got there in the end and can now communicate like pros.
Dedicated time for one another.
Even though we see each other pretty much every single day of our lives, sometimes time spent together isn’t actually quality time. That can be because of different factors around us that direct our attention. It could be the TV, our phones and even other people. One thing that we have always worked hard at is to ensure that in amongst all of these other times, we make time where we are 100% dedicated to one another with zero distractions.
Time apart from each other.
For as long as I have been with my husband, I have always stood by the fact that I love spending time with him, but I also love time without him. That is not a negative thing to say, it is the truth. I think one thing that has exponentially strengthened our relationship is the ability to take time away from one another. We get to do the things that the other doesn’t want to, connect with different friends and just have that quality alone time.
Something to look forward to.
My husband and I thrive when we have something in the diary that we can look forward to. For us, it is normally a holiday abroad and we both cherish every single moment of the one-on-one time with each other. When life is hard, when you are just going through the standard daily slog, you need something to keep the both of you going. For us, that ultimate relax, and reconnection comes when we have something scheduled in with one another.
Trust one another.
I trust my husband wholeheartedly. I know that there is not a single fibre in his body that would ever stray or do anything to disrespect me. Because of that, my trust for him is out of this world. We do things apart, even travel apart and there is never any doubt that we will remain faithful and true to one another. If that for any reason was ever broken and I no longer felt that I could trust him, the relationship would be over for me. Trust is the foundation for all long-lasting relationships.
Be open to apologise.
My husband is as stubborn as a mule, and I know that he wont mind me saying that. He is the least confrontational person that I have ever met and with that laidback nature, sometimes he doesn’t realise when an apology is required. Something that we have learnt over the years is knowing when it is time to draw a line in the sand, swallow your pride and simply apologies to the other person. We always try to understand the others intention and we know that it is never to upset the other, but sometimes an apology goes far.
Support, respect and encourage the other.
After been with my husband for a very long time, we have seen different versions of one another. Throughout all of this, one thing that has remained is a mutual respect for one another. I respect his choices and he respects mine. Plus, I respect his judgement and I think that really goes far. I am always his biggest cheerleader and I love to see him thrive. Support, encouragement and respect goes incredibly far in relationships and that is what we share.
As always, I hope you guys enjoyed this post and learning about some of the ways in which my husband and I keep our relationship healthy. Hardly anything good in life occurs when you don’t put in the work, and I think the same can be said for marriages. As we change and evolve as people, the older that we get, the more work is required. That isn’t a hard thing, it is simply a learning curve and one that provides a wonderful outcome.
