5 Tips for a Healthy Relationship With Your Significant Other

I’m no licensed relationship coach by any means, but my husband Nathan and I have had a wonderful 3 years together since we started dating. As I am writing this, it is our 3 year anniversary, so I felt inclined to write down a couple of tips that have helped us have such a strong bond, as well as things that we all must consistently work on in order to grow closer to each other and God.

1) Put God first, then each other.

If you put each other first, or even friends, family, or hobbies, your relationship will suffer. Putting God at the center of your relationship ensures that your values are aligned and that you each have something larger to hold on to. We may stumble and fall, but God does not. If we have a solid foundation to build our relationship upon, it will not so easily fail.

The order goes as such: God > your relationship > the world.

2) Go on adventures together!

Now, these don’t have to be big adventures by any means! Just taking a little walk to the coffee shop can be a really fun and special experience. Or, make grocery shopping a fun trip. Whatever it is, even making daily to-do’s an adventure can help strengthen your bond.

3) Do not talk ill of one another.

Talking ill of one another is one of the easiest ways to create a rift in your relationship. Alongside this, do not allow others to speak ill of your spouse or significant other. It is important to surround yourself with people who support your relationship and build you up as a couple.

Talking directly to your partner about the problems you have with something they are doing/not doing will lead to resolution, while talking about them will only lead to resentment as whoever you are telling will likely try to sympathize with you.

*** Please note, this does not apply if you are in a dangerous or abusive relationship and need to seek help. ***

4) Make them feel special.

Whether it be cooking their favorite meal before they get home from work or sneaking a handwritten note in their lunch, doing special, thoughtful little things each day is a great way to let them know how much you love them and think about them.

5) Be patient with each other.

Patience is hard, but it plays a crucial role in building a healthy relationship. You may love each other, but we are still human. We have differences from one another, and it’s important to be patient with those differences.

Obviously there is soooo much more that goes into building a healthy and lasting relationship, but these are 5 simple ways that you can work on strengthening your bond with your partner today!