10 Essential Tips For A Long And Healthy Relationship | Emotional & Stress Management slideshows | Emotional & Mental Health center

Express Your Feelings

Expressing your feelings freely isn't optional when it comes to your significant other. Everyone wants to be listened to, but healthy communication is a two-way street. It is very frustrating if your partner is an excellent listener who can't talk seem to talk about his own feelings. Talking about your hopes, joys, worries and fears will help you grow closer to your partner. Every time you have a good conversation, your relationship grows. Sometimes we have to think about how we express ourselves, but failing to talk about what's important to us is never a good idea — if your relationship can't survive your honesty, it's not the right relationship for you.

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Enjoy Quality Time Together

"Quality time" is a much talked-about concept, but what does it actually mean? The answer is different for every couple, but there are a few requirements. Quality time has to involve an activity you both enjoy, and that strengthens your relationship. It should also facilitate that all-important open communication. Quality time may involve dinner and a movie, going hiking, or taking a weekend break. It could also be much simpler — talking about your day while you do the dishes, or reading the newspaper together in the morning can be a powerful bonding experience for many couples. Do try to add new activities to your list to make life more interesting.

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Appreciate Each Other

When you live with someone, it's easy to get frustrated by their bad habits — and let's face it, every single person has some of those! Do you have trouble seeing past the dirty socks on the floor, the moody mornings, or your partner's internet addiction? Look back to the time you first met your partner and fell in love. Remember what you appreciate about your partner, and choose to focus on that. Do you want to go a step further? Figure out what bad habits of yours your partner finds really irritating. Then, commit to getting rid of at least some of them.

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Learn To Listen

Expressing yourself is hugely important. Have you got that skill down yet? Great! Just remember to listen to your partner as much as your partner listens to you. Even if your partner wants to discuss things that are not important to you, she'll feel better if you take the time to really listen. Active listening involves giving feedback, asking follow-up questions, and taking the initiative to remember the conversation and bringing the issue up again. Almost everyone can learn to be a good listener, but it does take practice.

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Introduce New Experiences

When you first start living together, everything is exciting! You'll love cooking for each other, cleaning the bathroom, and grocery shopping. Seeing your partner's face when you wake up is special enough. The novelty does wear off, however, and you'll be stuck in a tired old routine before you know it. How do you keep your relationship fresh then? Introduce new experiences! The possibilities are almost endless. You could go on holiday, do up your house, or get into some hobby. Adding a baby to the family is perhaps the ultimate new experience a couple can have, and that one never gets old — every stage of childhood comes with unique challenges and joys.

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Be Spontaneous

Don't ever settle for a predictable, boring routine together unless that makes you both truly happy. Some of that new-relationship magic comes from the fact that new couples tend to be spontaneous, seeking out every opportunity to spend time together doing things that make both partners happy. The good news is that you can keep on adding spontaneity to your life, whether you've been together for a few months, a few years, or a few decades. Say no to boredom and yes to that impulse to spend quality time together.

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Don't Forget About Physical Contact

OK, we'll admit it — the phase in which you want to spend the whole day in the bedroom (and other places!) together wears off eventually. When your relationship isn't brand new any more, you get used to each other's presence and start to take it for granted. The fact is that most relationships thrive with regular physical contact. Yes, sex is an important part of that but certainly not the only part. Greet your other half with a good-morning kiss, hug her when she comes home from work, and hold his hand when you go for a walk! Regular physical contact will keep your bond strong.

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Find Common Goals

To have a healthy and happy relationship, both partners have to be compatible. You should see eye to eye on those things that matter to you most, or be completed by your partner's differing views rather than frustrated by them. Working towards a common goal is a way to keep your relationship joyous. Those goals will not be the same throughout your relationship, and you might have to work hard to find common ground once you have been together for years. Examples of common goals that bring partners closer together include starting a business, finding the perfect house, committing to daily exercise together, and engaging in self-education.

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Spice Up Your Love Life

You'll come to know your partner's body like your own after you've been in a relationship for a while. That familiarity can be powerful — your partner is ALL YOURS, hopefully forever — but it can also be boring. Making love can turn into a chore, like making coffee in the morning. Don't let it. Spice your love life up when you spot those signs of boredom. That doesn't mean you have to get into bondage or swinging, by the way. It can mean sending the kids over to grandma and surprising your other half with a meal and a bottle of wine, or experimenting with different positions, or going away for the weekend to focus on each other.

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Talk, Share Power, Accept The Unsolvable

Healthy communication is the basis of all good relationships, and it is absolutely essential in the relation ship with your life partner. So don't bottle up those emotions or hide your opinions — talk! Share whatever is important to you, but don't assume that you know what your partner is thinking and feeling either. Being open with your partner and taking your time to really listen to him or her paves the way to a relationship in which you truly share power. You'll overcome your problems together, and will learn to accept the unsolvable too.

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Photo courtesy of Roxanna Salceda by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/roxsm/3530406476/
glo.msn.com/relationships/10-secrets-of-healthy-relationships-9361.gallery
http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/10-secrets-healthy-relationships-210800878.html
http://www.askmen.com/top_10/dating/top-10-proven-ways-to-improve-your-relationship_10.html
http://www.yourtango.com/200938263/101-ways-improve-your-relationship-right-now