Your friends think that just because you’re telling them that you had a fight, you must have come to them for solutions. Their answers range from “just break up!” to “stop overthinking, just text her/him”. But you know as well as we do that it’s not that easy to text your partner when things aren’t going too well. To make sure you never get to that stage again, we’ve compiled a list of 25 ways to strengthen your bond with your partner.
25 Pieces Of Relationship Advice For Couples
Only when you do get into a relationship do you realize your only two options are to stay together forever or to give up on it. Sounds terrifying, and sometimes it can feel that terrifying as well. The list of common relationship problems is endless and unique to your own relationship. And, similarly, the ways you two can strengthen your bond is unique to your relationship too. Out of the following 25 ways, we’re sure a bunch of them will apply to you and your relationship. All that’ll be left then is for you to put in the work!
1. The golden rule: communication
Regardless of what kind of relationship it is, despite how bad things have gotten, every relationship can most definitely benefit from honest communication. As one of the constant and the best relationship advice for couples, constructive communication must always be aimed for. Do not undermine the value of this all-important yet overused advice you’ll receive from every person you talk to. When you’re honest about your feelings and communicate them well, things will get a lot better.
2. Touch your partner
When all the communication has been done, turn them into actions and show affection towards your partner through physical touch. Not just when you two are alone, but surprise them with a cute hug every now and then in public. Hold your partner’s hand, hug them from behind, give them a kiss on the cheek. Sounds cute, right? Because it is! Forget about the gossiping neighbors, your relationships health is more important than the rumors.
3. Tell your partner you love them, and why
It doesn’t stop at a simple “I love you”, which can sometimes also be said when your partner passes you the toilet paper. Put more meaning into it by telling your partner why you love them and the things you like about them. A little more effort will make it seem more sincere and from the heart. Unfortunately, a meaningless “love ya” when your partner passes you the TV remote won’t do the trick.
4. Work on bettering yourself as a person
As you’ve seen in every 25 to 35-year-old entrepreneur’s Instagram feed, learning never stops. When you’re committed to making yourself a better person through refining your knowledge or moving up the corporate ladder, your partner and relationship will appreciate you for it. Maybe you even learn a new language or a cool skill and impress the hell out of your partner. Who wouldn’t want to be with someone who speaks fluent Japanese, and can jet-ski!
5. Don’t be hesitant to sleep apart if sleep has become an issue
If there’s an important piece of relationship advice for couples living together, employing a sleep divorce is right up there in our eyes. Sleeping apart, especially when you two have been living together for a while may seem absurd. But if you look into it, the benefits of a sleep divorce can help you strengthen your bond. Fights in the bedroom between couples aren’t at all uncommon and can hinder sleep and your mental wellbeing. So, the next time you’re having trouble with your partner who hogs all the blankets, consider getting your own bed.
6. Find some new hobbies together
In a long-term relationship, you want to make sure you two don’t turn into roommates who occasionally have sex together. You can do that by finding new things you are interested in, which is a great way of bonding. Maybe you’ll both end up competing against each other as well, but you already know you’re going to win. A new hobby will give you something to look forward to, and it’ll remind you why you fell in love with your partner in the first place.
7. No phubbing allowed!
It basically means to be distracted by your phone when you’re spending time with your partner. One of the best relationship advice for couples is to do away with your phone when you’re spending precious time with your loved one. Phubbing can kill a relationship, so keep that phone away before it’s smashed to bits by your partner.
8. It’s true what they say – absence makes the heart grow fonder
Living with your partner can get overwhelming. Especially in a pandemic, when you’re confined within the walls of your home. And if you two work in the same building, you might just go nuts! Wanting to spend some time away from your partner is completely normal. Take that solo trip, go out with your friends, find a life outside of your relationship. Your partner will thank you for it!
9. Always voice your appreciation
Just like you should communicate honestly if something is bothering you, you should always tell your partner things you appreciate. If they do something nice for you, make sure you tell them how much it means to you. Don’t take their kindness for granted, it may stop when not reciprocated with kind words. Nobody wants to help an entitled person who can’t so much as say thank you.
10. Show interest in your partner
Maybe your partner has picked up a new hobby, maybe they’re really into a television show you might find childish. Do not belittle any of their hobbies, try to show an active interest in whatever it is they’re into (yes, even if it’s a trashy reality show!). You don’t want to seem like the partner losing interest in the relationship. Just a bit of genuine curiosity in your partner’s hobby will uplift the mood and make your partner feel valued. You don’t have to watch every single episode of that trashy show, but we know you’ll end up liking it anyway.
11. Get some time alone and respect your partner’s alone time
Sometimes a relaxing bubble bath away from the kids and the annoying S/O is just what you need to unwind. Unless they burst in, asking where their socks are. Since everyone needs time away, make sure you respect your partner’s alone time. While you’re at it, find yourself some alone time as well. A leisurely 20-minute walk alone might be just the thing you needed to clear your mind.
12. Create a unique “thing” you two do
Yes, we’re asking you to be that annoying couple. It could be an inside joke, a post-dinner ritual or an activity you two just have to do together every day. Making something your own little “thing” will make you two feel closer towards each other. It’ll make all your friends start to hate you but you know deep down they’re just jealous of your fairytale love.
13. Pick a random day and make it special
Spontaneity will spark romance and excitement unlike anything else. Pick a random day, and pamper your partner till kingdom come. Figure out how to show your partner you care about them. Make the whole day about you two, go out on a date to that unnecessarily expensive restaurant. A random act of kindness, big or small, will result in overall harmony and happiness. And who knows, your partner may just do that thing you like in bed at the end of the day.
14. Do not expect grand gestures in return for kindness
In fact, don’t expect anything. In a loving relationship, you should do kind acts just because you want to. Not because you’re expecting a fancy gift in return. Don’t keep a score of how many times you did the dishes, it’s not a competition. When you end up expecting things from your partner, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
15. Don’t set out to win an argument, find the common ground
When you two fight, which inevitably you will (sorry to break it to you, puppy lovers!), you shouldn’t aim to win the fight. What will so-called “winning” even get you? Sure, your point may be proven, but in the process, you’ve belittled and hurt your partner. Instead, try to find a compromise and settle fights in a civil manner. The only reward “winning” a fight will get you is a trip to the sofa for the night. Pick your battles wisely!
16. Respect your partner and your relationship
Without respect, there is no relationship. If you don’t think much of your partner or the relationship itself, it comes with an expiration date. If there’s an important piece of relationship advice for couples getting married, it’d be to make sure that there’s mutual respect. Lack of respect in a relationship can lead to all sorts of problems. It could leave you feeling suffocated and wronged.
17. Get to know your partner’s friends and family
Not only will this help you get to know your partner better, but your partner will feel like you’re in it for the long haul as well. Plus, when you hang out with your partner’s friends, you see them in a whole new light. Seeing the person your partner is in their friend group will give more insight into who they really are. Don’t worry if you see them completely change their personality with their friends, you change with your sports buddies too!
18. When things get too overwhelming, take a break
This is the best relationship advice for couples who argue a lot. When every conversation feels like it could break out into a fight at any given minute, you could consider taking a break in a relationship. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking a step back and figuring out just how you want to approach the future of this relationship might be just the thing you need.
19. Be there for your partner
When your partner comes to you in their time of need, put down everything you might be doing to help them out. Make some sacrifices to make sure they don’t feel alone during this tough period. Your sacrifices will result in a better, stronger relationship for both of you.
20. Accept you’re changing as a person and the relationship is changing with you
Relationship advice for couples living together for a long time: You two are not the same people you were 5 years ago. Likewise, your relationship cannot be the same either. Stop clinging to the idea of love you two had a million years ago. The type of love you two experience now has drastically changed, perhaps for the better. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun though. Go to that grocery store and finish out that plate of hummus and pita they’ve set out. Nobody will suspect a thing.
21. Understand your partner’s communication methods
Despite everyone around you telling you that you two need to communicate with each other, sometimes passive-aggressive alternatives are adopted unknowingly. When you pick up on their habits and the little things they communicate displeasure or happiness through, you’ll be able to understand them better. So next time your partner turns off the lights of the room you’re in, you know exactly what to do!
22. Don’t stop taking care of yourself
Saying you don’t need to go to the gym because you’re in a relationship is the same as saying you don’t need to control your sugar levels since you already have diabetes. Just because you’re in a committed relationship doesn’t mean that the dumbbells can now rot away at a corner in your house. You’ll be scurrying towards the gym the day your partner calls out your weight gain!
23. Set mutual goals
Setting a goal you want to achieve with your partner can help give you two a sense of purpose, and teach you how to work together as a team. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small gardening goal, a combined career goal or something as big as buying a new house together in a determined period of time. Supporting your partner is extremely important in a relationship. As a piece of relationship advice for new couples, it will give you two something to work together towards. A sense of achievement you can share with your partner once you achieve your goal will form a stronger connection, plus you’ll learn if you two can work well together or not.
24. Don’t complain about your partner to anyone
It doesn’t have to do with what others will think of your partner, but what you think of your partner. When you complain, you end up manifesting an image of your partner as inherently evil. You’ll be convinced you hate this person even though there’s a lot about them you like. So before you go out to rant about your partner to anyone, try and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself down.
25. Relationship counseling works!
If you’re looking for relationship advice for couples who are separated, you should definitely be considering relationship counseling. Effective counseling can help you get through a lot of problems you thought unfixable. Reasons to take relationship counseling don’t need to be extreme, you could take counseling even if you just want a healthy relationship. By establishing healthy communication methods and appreciation techniques (not too far off from the ones you’ve seen in the movies), your relationship can get all it needs to thrive. In an age when you can communicate with your friend who’s at the other end of the globe in an instant, sometimes communicating with your partner who’s right in front of you seems impossible. There’s really no reason to let a perfectly good relationship slowly die, just because of misunderstanding or lack of effort. If you truly think there’s something wonderful in your relationship that should be nurtured, the ways to strengthen the bond we listed above should help you maintain your loving relationship.
