Improve your relationship with small steps

By Julia Rees, Senior Managing Editor

Posted on 3 min read

Welcome back to the Code of Style and this article about how to improve your relationship with small steps.

Have realistic expectations 

If you don’t have realistic expectations for your relationship chances are you will come into conflict often. This is because you have a mental and emotional idea of what your partner should be like. When they don’t conform to that idea or expectation we feel frustrated or angry. 

You need to manage your relationship expectations by keeping them realistic. Ask yourself if it’s reasonable for you to expect something of your partner and find out how they feel about it. Their expectations may be different from yours and you will need to communicate. 

Talk with each other 

Communication is the root of all healthy and fulfilling relationships. You might think you have good communication with your partner but do you really take the time to talk about meaningful things, or is it simply day-to-day communication? 

improve your relationship
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Day-to-day communication is good and it can bring you close and create a bond, but it is not enough to sustain a healthy relationship over the long term. What you need is meaningful communication at a deeper level. Regular check-ins are a good way to achieve this. Make time every day or once a week to talk about your lives and your relationship. 

Be willing to compromise 

One small way to improve your relationship is to compromise more. Like the root of communication, compromise is a vital branch that needs to be taken seriously. Without compromise, you will not have the necessary flexibility to understand your individual needs. 

Compromise can take many forms. It could be small household initiatives like a division of labor, or one-off situations like where to spend Christmas or go on your summer holidays. In most cases a good compromise means both parties lose out in some way. 

Look after yourself 

Sometimes a relationship can take over your life and you don’t seem to have any time for yourself. You seem to spend all your free time with your partner. While it is good and fulfilling in many ways, you might still feel there is something missing, some part of yourself that needs attention. 

Photo by Madison Inouye from Pexels

You need to listen to that side of yourself and work towards fulfilling it from time to time. That could mean joining a class, meeting up with your friends more often, or getting healthy and changing your diet. What you do for yourself will make you happier and improve your relationship.  

Be dependable

If you are not a dependable partner it can be toxic to a relationship. A relationship is built on mutual trust and understanding and if that is broken or doesn’t live up to reasonable expectations you will make your partner feel lonely and unseen. 

Improve your relationship
Photo by Yuri Catalano from Pexels

To make sure you are dependable, keep your promises, and be there when they need you. Support them in whatever way you can and make sure they know they are loved and that you’re in their corner.

Of course, maintaining a relationship is going to be hard work every now and then, but these simple steps should help keep your relationship on the right track and if you’re considering taking your relationship to the next level check out Brilliant Earth Review.

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to improve your relationship with small steps and you can also have a look here for some of our other lifestyle posts.

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