If you’ve been in a relationship or is currently in one, then you know relationships are not perfect. No matter how much you care about and love your significant other, it still takes a lot of dedication and working together in order to make the relationship work. Every relationship is different, but there are some key points that I believe should be in every relationship. The points I’m going to give you are what I believe to be the foundation that helps make a good, long lasting relationship.

1. Communication

These points aren’t in any particular order but in my opinion, this is the most important one, so I just had to make it number 1. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you communicate with your significant other. Lack of communication can do a lot more harm than good. It’s important to remember that no one is psychic so you can’t assume that your partner knows how you feel or what you’re thinking if you don’t tell them. A lot of mix ups happen which can not only result in an argument, but also a breakup. A breakup is not something you want to happen especially if the problem could have been an easy fix simply by talking to each other (note I said talking and not yelling, screaming, hollering, or cussing).

2. Listening

Along with communication comes listening. There are going to be some hard pills to swallow when you’re in a relationship. Maybe you don’t like to be wrong or maybe your partner is trying to tell you something that you just don’t want to hear due to how it might make you feel, but you have to listen and I mean really LISTEN. Open both ears and take in what your partner is saying. In relationships, not listening to each other again can not only result in arguments but either one or both of you might even feel neglected or unimportant to the other person. Being in a relationship means being there for each other and that includes listening to each other as well.

3. Compromise

If you’re not one to make compromises, then you might want to wait to be in a relationship until you learn how to do that because relationships take compromise. We’re talking about two people with different personalities (even if you are pretty similar). So that means you are not going to agree on everything as nice as that sounds. From little stuff like choosing which restaurant to eat at to big stuff like choosing homes or when to have a child…it all takes compromise. Sometimes your side will win, sometimes it won’t, and sometimes you both just have to find a middle ground.

4. Trust

Another VERY very big one along with communication. Without trust built in the relationship, there are a lot of problems ahead. You HAVE to trust each other if you want to make a relationship work. I know some people are scared to trust due to past experiences, but it’s important to realize that if you don’t then it just won’t work. You should be able to believe in your partner and trust their word or actions and if you don’t, then that’s when you might need to reevaluate a few things in your relationship.

5. Honesty

To me, trust and honesty go hand in hand. You both should trust that you’ll be honest with one another. Depending on what it is, being honest with your partner may be hard at times but going along with communication, it’s important to speak to your partner with full honesty. Not being honest with each other could really be harmful in the end.

6. Understanding

Being in a relationship takes a lot of understanding. Because these are the keys/foundations for a good relationship, they all pair together very well. I say this because when you’re communicating and listening and everything, you have to try and be understanding. That can be hard for some people to do. It’s also important to remember people make mistakes and when those mistakes are made, the best thing a lot of times can be to talk about it and try to understand why it was made. This concept can also be paired with patience because it takes a lot to have patience and understanding but to make it work it’s necessary.

7. Forgiveness

Again I repeat, no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and the longer you’re in a relationship, the more room there is for more mistakes. It’s important to be able to forgive each other. This can be a learning experience that sometimes you both will have to learn together. Also, please keep in mind that there are mistakes and then there’s just someone who’s being toxic and at that point, you might have to leave forgiveness out as an option and begin to think about yourself and your health and wellbeing when it comes to the relationship.

Please note that I’m not a professional in relationships, but these are just a few key points that I believe lay the foundation to good relationships. Is there one you feel like I left out? Share your thoughts!