8 Things That Happy Couples Do

Would you like to have a stronger, happier relationship? Happiness in a relationship is the result of several small things done on a daily basis. These small tasks are within your capabilities. A little time and attention can grow your relationship into a great source of happiness for both of you.

Strengthen your relationship each day by following these strategies of happy couples:

1. Confront each other effectively. No relationship is free from disagreements. The most important issue is how those disagreements are handled. Handle your disagreements quickly and fairly. Address behaviors and forget about personal insults. Seek to find a resolution rather than proving who is right or wrong.

2. Have compatible goals. Is your dream to travel the world, never staying in one place for more than a few months? Is your partner’s dream to have five kids and live in her hometown, having dinner with her parents every night? One of you is going to be miserable.

• Your goals don’t have to match precisely, but they must be compatible. Otherwise, one of you will have to sacrifice too much to make the other happy.

3. Forgive easily. Holding a grudge breeds contempt and upsets the other person. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has a bad day once in a while. Forgive quickly and easily.

4. Grow together and separately. Try new things together. See new places. But also make the time to grow independently. You can learn to surf while he learns how to paint. Do some new things together and others apart.

5. Empathize. When you’re taking on the world by yourself, you can afford to be a little more single-minded and selfish in your approach. When you’re part of a couple, it’s important to consider the other’s feelings and point of view.

6. Make time for each other. It’s so easy to split your time and attention between work, household duties, and the minutiae of life. Ensure that you spend quality time with your partner each day. If you don’t make time, it’s too easy to suffer from a lack of time. Make this a priority in your life.

7. Focus more on your partner’s good qualities than their bad. Does your spouse always leave the toilet seat up? Does it make you furious? What if someone told you they knew for a fact that a particular man was perfect for you, but he had one annoying habit: he left the toilet seat up? Would you say, “Forget it?” Of course not.

• It’s easy to focus on a few negative traits and form strong negative emotions. Spend your time focusing on your partner’s positive qualities and notice how your perception of them changes.

8. Listen to each other. It’s not easy to listen to a 10-minute story about buying a pair of shoes or the details of the Cowboys’ final drive for a winning touchdown. But it’s necessary to show interest and give your attention.

• Once you stop listening, the other person stops communicating. The relationship is then on a downhill slide. Listening is a skill that anyone can master. Give your partner your full attention.

Your relationship can be a great source of happiness or grief. Your partner and you can create a relationship that brings happiness to your lives.

Make time for each other and be willing to listen. Find common interests that you can explore together. Remember to also make time for yourself. Do these things and you’ll build on your relationship each day.