It’s sheer luck to meet an interesting person and fall in love. Developing a relationship with that person is another thing. It is hard work that turns out to be very rewarding. What is a successful relationship? Every person has their own understanding of successful relationships. People build their relationships being guided by their own needs and expectations. It’s important for the partners to have similar needs. They will able to build a happy relationship only if they are on the same page.
The secret of a successful relationship is quite simple: you need to communicate, listen and understand, give and take. Many couples ignore these simple basics and their relationships fail. If you want to be happy with your partner, read this article to learn how to have a successful relationship that will work and last long.
Dating vs. Relationship
As we all know, any loving relationship is preceded by the dating stage. Sometimes, it’s quite complicated for partners to say whether they date or they have a relationship. Many partners don’t even notice the moment they shift from dating to a relationship. It’s not a secret that many relationships stop at the stage of dating without advancing to the relationship proper. For some people, a constant change of girlfriends/boyfriends is a kind of lifestyle. Those who are aimed to settle down will use the dating stage to lay the foundations of the future long-term relationship. So, how to tell just dating from a serious relationship?
Your date is your exclusive partner. You don’t even think about dating someone else, and you don’t care that there are many other candidates out there. It’s very much like you have already made up your mind and plan to bring your dating to a more serious level – relationship. If you date online and previously you had several people you corresponded with, but now you are focused on one person, it means you’re heading for an exclusive relationship.
Your loved one is always on your mind. It always goes like this: you want to share some good news and the first person you call is your girlfriend/boyfriend. You plan your vacation trip and you know who you’ll take with you. Your colleague invited you to a party and the first question you ask is whether it’d be okay to come with your partner. These are the signs you’re not just dating but you’re about to enter the relationship stage.
You have fun just being together. You no longer plan your dates but act on the spot. You know each other’s schedules, so you can adjust to each other. Staying in is not a problem. Watching films or cooking dinner together is a great date too. The problem of awkward silence has gone forever, you feel comfortable in any situation. You can sit and prepare an annual account while your partner is reading a book or using their computer. And all this is happening in a totally comfortable silence.
There is mutual trust between you. You’ll never keep your worries and thoughts to yourself just because you are afraid you won’t be understood by your partner. On the contrary, you are 100% sure your partner will listen and comfort you. In your turn, you always support and cheer your sweetheart up. This is because there is a high level of trust between you. Since trust is a cornerstone of healthy relationships, it seems you already laid the foundation.
Your partner knows and accepts your true self. Once trust is established, partners can open up and reveal their true personalities, even the dark sides. It’s natural that you were cautious in the beginning and you tried to appear better than you are. But after getting to know each other better, the wall between you fell down. You know your partner loves you unconditionally and it’s reciprocal.
Your partner is a part of your life. Your friends are acquainted with your loved one and they approve of your choice. They want to see you together at your meetings. You don’t feel any confusion when your friends mention some embarrassing stories because your partner heard them from you.
Basically, these are the main signs your couple is shifting from dating to a serious relationship. How do relationships start? As you can see, this happens when partners establish a deeper connection between them. Some tend to claim that the official beginning of a relationship is the phrase “I love you”. Some say it is when partners start living together as a couple. In fact, a relationship is born when you have a conversation with your partner about your future and come to a conclusion that you want to be together, you want to make a commitment, and you want to make each other’s happy.
Stages of a Relationship
Development is a gradual progress. Nothing good can be created at once. If your purpose is to build a serious relationship with a person you love, you need to be patient. Be ready to go through several stages before you can call the relation between you and your partner a serious relationship. Both partners should put the equal amount of effort into making their relationship progress. Here, we’ll focus on man’s part, since men are usually good initiators of relationships but not very good constructors. The following paragraphs will teach you how to start a relationship off right and build it brick by brick.
The first step is meeting. It’s possible to communicate your serious intentions already at the initial meeting. Mind the way you approach a woman. Women are extremely shrewd – they can understand what kind of person you are and what intentions you have from the first minutes of a first conversation. They can easily distinguish the man who is looking for a one-night stand from the man who has a genuine interest in them and wants to get to know them better by the way he behaves and talks to them. So, when you approach a girl whom you’d like to date, show your interest her personality rather than her looks. It will be a good start.
Stage number two is dating. This is the period during which you get to know the woman. The main rule here is not to rush things. Learn the art of small steps. It’s not recommended to get physical on a first date if you plan something serious with this girl. First, establish trust between you two. Communicate and learn more about each other. Prove to her that you are a good match.
The next stage is the beginning of a relationship. You’re not just hanging out, you’re gradually turning into a couple. You scrutinize each other and check whether you are compatible and whether your relationship has the future. You can even move in at this stage or spend time at each other’s places regularly. For many couples, this stage is a real test. Men tend to relax at this stage thinking that woman’s heart is already won. But this is not the time for letting things drift. You should work on the developing of your relationship. Keep romance alive, eliminate monotony, prove to your woman she’ll never get bored with you.
The ultimate stage is an exclusive relationship. To bring your relationship to this stage, you should not stop working on its progress. Many couples break up and never enter a serious relationship. But those who work hard on their relationship, finally experience the blessing of being in a happy long-term relationship called marriage. You should keep doing the same things that brought you two here and keep your relationship from its main enemy – routine.
How to ask a girl to start a relationship? Very often, partners don’t need words to understand that their relationship goes from stage to stage and enters its ultimate stage. However, it’s important for a woman to hear that you are serious about her and you see her by your side in the future. You should communicate your intentions directly, but not on the first date (here, subtle signs are appropriate – women can spot those). A serious relationship usually starts after your declaration of love to her or/and moving in.
Keys to a successful relationship
Successful relationships are healthy relationships, the ones in which partners feel happy. This happiness comes from harmony. It can be achieved only if both partners put the same amount of effort into developing their relationship. There are many aspects that should be taken into account. You should know the ingredients of a harmonious relationship and make sure you have them all in yours.
1. Giving each other freedom.
Each of you had your own life before you met each other. Now, you are together but you are still two independent personalities. Each of you wants to meet with your old friends from time to time, dedicate some time to your hobby, and have time for yourself. Don’t restrict each other’s freedom and there will be harmony in your relationship.
2. Share your plans for future.
As a couple, you have one life for two and you should discuss your future. Talk about what you will do this weekend and how you see your relationship in 5 years. Discuss different aspects of your life to understand your partner better and make sure you look in the same direction.
3. Communicate your concerns.
Successful couples realize the power of a timely conversation. It’s quite silly to be silent about the things that worry you hoping your partner will read your mind. You need to tackle a problem as soon as it appears.
4. Know how to deal with conflicts.
This is a very important skill that helps couples maintain healthy relationships. Since arguments are unavoidable, you need to know how to behave to make them beneficial to your relationship. First of all, eliminate aggression. Try to turn your argument into a conversation during which you listen to your partner and express your opinion and find a compromise.
5. Control your jealousy.
Jealousy is a very bad feeling. If it goes out of your control, it can ruin your relationship. Happy couples experience jealousy but they know how to overcome it. They don’t keep it to themselves but communicate it in a humorous way just to let the other partner know they care.
6. Ignore your partner’s flaws.
Your significant other has a lot of qualities that you value very much and find very important. Of course, as any human being, your loved one is not flawless. You are aware of their imperfections and weaknesses. It’s important to focus on the strong points of your partner and turn a blind eye to their flaws.
7. Be appreciative.
Showing your gratitude to your partner even for minor things keeps a healthy atmosphere in your couple. Even such small favor as making a cup of coffee should be appreciated. When you express your gratitude, you show your partner that you care and it encourages them to do even more for you.
How to start a long-distance relationship
You’ll be amazed at the statistics of how many relationships start online. Online dating is the way people start relationships in the 21st century. Allegedly every third couple met online. The scenario of virtual relationships is basically the same. You approach a person, you communicate, get to know each other, and establish the connection. The only difference is that people go through first two stages (approaching and partially dating) remotely. Actually, many long-distance relationships prove to be successful. The distance is a great test for couples, both those whose relationship is long-distance in the beginning and those who have to live apart temporarily. Anyway, sooner or later a long-distance relationship ends and becomes a traditional one. If partners manage to keep their feelings alive, they will succeed.
How to Start Over in a Relationship
For many couples, there comes the moment when they get bored in their relationship. They feel something is wrong. In this case, it is important to give your relationship a fresh start, to rekindle your passion and add romance to your routine. Start going out on dates like you did before, spend more quality time together, do new things together, challenge each other.
If you want to know how to start a relationship over again after a tremendous fight or cheating, you should know that it’s a very difficult task. It’s possible only if one partner repents their mistake, and the other is ready to forgive. Regaining trust will take time, but if there is love between partners, nothing is impossible. The best way is to be faithful to your choice, cherish your significant other, and never stop making each other happy.