

{"id":9093,"date":"2016-06-23T05:45:59","date_gmt":"2016-06-23T05:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=9093"},"modified":"2026-03-17T09:36:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T09:36:03","slug":"14-ways-to-keep-your-relationship-strong-healthy-and-happy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/14-ways-to-keep-your-relationship-strong-healthy-and-happy\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Ways to Keep Your Relationship Strong, Healthy, &#038; Happy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-108114\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/331321043.jpg\" alt=\"Young happy couple \" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We&rsquo;ve all heard that a relationship &ldquo;takes work,&rdquo; but what does that mean exactly?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frankly, it sounds like drudgery. Who wants to spend hours at an office only to come home to job number two? Wouldn&rsquo;t it be more pleasant to think of your relationship as a source of comfort, fun, and pleasure?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, it would. Here are some basic fixes if things feel stagnant, if the good times are becoming few and far between, if arguing is your main form of communication, or if you need a tune-up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to keep a relationship strong and happy doesn&rsquo;t need to be a long, winding, complex process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Really!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>21 ways to keep your relationship strong and happy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some ways that you may find pretty resourceful to keep a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/what-is-the-definition-of-a-healthy-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> healthy relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Don&rsquo;t argue over money<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s practically a guaranteed relationship killer. If you want to keep a relationship strong and happy, you should keep money out of all the arguments.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you haven&rsquo;t yet talked about how money is earned, spent, saved, and shared, do it now. Try to understand <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/finance\/deal-with-financial-stress\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how each of you sees your financial life<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and where the differences are. Then address them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Try not to focus on trifles<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it worth fighting about? More to the point, is it a trifle? Often a seemingly minor issue is a manifestation of a bigger problem. Do you want to know how to make a relationship strong?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talk about what&rsquo;s actually bothering you instead of how loud the TV is. It&rsquo;s one of the simplest <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-make-your-relationship-better\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">things to do to make your relationship stronger<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29027 size-full\" title=\"Arguing over money with partner is a guaranteed relationship killer\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/New-Project-28.jpg\" alt=\"Arguing over money with partner is a guaranteed relationship killer\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Share your thoughts<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your hopes. Your fears. Your passions. Let your partner know who you truly are. Set aside time each day to talk about the important things to each of you as individuals. This is one of the most crucial things to make your relationship stronger.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/emotional-intimacy\/how-to-share-your-feelings-with-your-spouse\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;How to Share Your Feelings With Your Spouse<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>4. Be friendly<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>&nbsp;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best strong relationship tips is that you need to treat your partner like a good and trusted friend: with respect, consideration, and kindness. It will go a long way in fostering a strong relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Resolve arguments together<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When couples fight, it&rsquo;s too easy to get locked into a win\/lose <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/therapy\/working-on-the-unconscious-dynamics-of-your-marriage-with-couples-therapy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dynamic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Think of your disagreement as a problem for you both to solve, not a fight for you to win. Think of saying &ldquo;we&rdquo; before giving in to the temptation of casting blame on the other person.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can achieve this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/understanding-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">understanding with your partner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you might never have to wonder how to maintain a relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch this video by Susan L. Adler, a relationship counselor to understand the how to make a relationship strong and happy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TUMmLkFKpEI\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Show affection daily<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/physical-intimacy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sex<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one thing. Holding hands, a hug, and a squeeze on the arm create connection and trust. Let it be known if you&rsquo;re not getting as much attention as you want.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Love is the main ingredient of the relationship recipe, and you should express it daily.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. Focus on the positive<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/love\/8-ways-to-show-appreciation-to-the-love-of-your-life\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">appreciate about your partner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? What was the first thing that attracted you?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you treasure about your life together? Focus on positivity to make the relationship strong. The more positivity you manifest in your relationship, the happier it gets.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29028 size-full\" title=\"Share your hopes, fears and passions with your partner\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/New-Project-24.jpg\" alt=\"Share your hopes, fears and passions with your partner\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. Don&rsquo;t be negative<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nothing kills a buzz like a negative or absent response to something you&rsquo;re enthusiastic about. One of the essential tips to keep your relationship strong is that you need to become your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/steps-to-becoming-a-supportive-partner\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">partner&rsquo;s support system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>9. Words plus deeds<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saying &ldquo;I love you&rdquo; carries much more weight when you consistently do things your partner values. Saying &ldquo;I love you&rdquo; is one of the most crucial things to do to make your relationship stronger.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>10. Recognize that all relationships have ups and downs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think long-term. Your relationship is an investment, like the stock market. Ride out the downtimes. With the right kind of attention, they will be temporary.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading: <\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/9-ways-to-manage-the-ups-and-downs-in-your-relationship\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 Ways to Manage the Ups and Downs in Your Relationship &ndash; Expert Advice<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>11. Respect each other when arguing<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is tempting to use whatever ammunition you&rsquo;ve got in the heat of battle. Ask yourself, where will it get you? A partner who will likely come to your side, or one who will get even more defensive? Ask your partner how they see the problem. Have each other&rsquo;s back. Let that be known. That&rsquo;s how you keep a relationship strong and happy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>12. Set goals as a couple<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talk about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/relationship-goals-to-guide-your-boat\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how you want your relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to look in a year, five years, or ten years. Then work towards that goal. It would help if you kept adding goals with time; those achievements will strengthen your relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>13. Make your partner a priority<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is why you&rsquo;re in this relationship in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is how to keep a relationship strong and happy. Relationships, against what is commonly believed, are not as challenging to maintain as they are said to be. Inculcating some habits and behaviors in your daily life is sufficient to keep your relationship strong, healthy, and happy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29029 size-full\" title=\"Resolve arguments together with your partner\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/New-Project-27.jpg\" alt=\"Resolve arguments together with your partner\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>14. Trust<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Something that can be difficult to gain and easily lost. One of the steps to a healthy relationship is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/7-important-tips-to-build-trust-in-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">building and maintaining unshakeable trust between partners<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because most of us have been hurt, mistreated, mishandled, had bad relationships, or experienced how cruel the world can be at times, our trust does not come easy or cheap.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There must be some degree of trust in all relationships for them to grow healthy and work.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>15. Support<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support can come in many forms and is too comprehensive to get into a complete discussion here, but there is emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, financial, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy relationship produces a warm and supportive environment where we can refresh ourselves and find the strength to continue daily.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>16. Be Honest<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growing up as kids, we used to say, &ldquo;honesty is the best policy,&rdquo; but as adults, we&rsquo;ve all learned to hide the truth. Whether it&rsquo;s to save face, increase profit margins, excel in careers, or avoid confrontations, we&rsquo;ve all lost some if not all of the honesty we had as kids.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a segment in the movie &ldquo;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt5640036\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Few Good Men<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&rdquo; where Jack Nicholas&rsquo; character, while on trial, says, &ldquo;Truth, you can&rsquo;t handle the truth.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes we all feel the other person we&rsquo;re being honest with can&rsquo;t deal with what has happened. So, we often remain silent until they find out later, and the consequences have gotten worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the components of a healthy relationship is integrity or honesty. There must be a certain level of honesty, without which a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/understanding-dysfunction-in-a-love-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relationship is dysfunctional<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29030 size-full\" title=\"Focus on the positivity to make the relationship strong\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/New-Project-25.jpg\" alt=\"Focus on the positivity to make the relationship strong\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>17. A sense of fairness<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some couples reach home at the same time every evening&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both are tired, hungry, somewhat irritated from the day&rsquo;s situations, and desire a hot meal and warm bed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, whose responsibility is it to prepare dinner and do the chores around the house?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some men would probably say, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s her responsibility, she&rsquo;s the woman, and a woman should take care of the home!&rdquo; Some women would probably say, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s your responsibility, you&rsquo;re the man, and a man should take care of his wife!&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&rsquo;s be fair. You both should help each other.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? If you seriously want to know how to keep a relationship strong, happy, and healthy, you both have to put effort into it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We could choose to be fair in matters related to the relationship and have a growing healthy one or <\/span><b>be unfair and end up alone<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>18. Separate identities<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How could separating your identities possibly help create a relationship strong and happy?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What we often do in relationships is try so hard to match our identities to the person we&rsquo;re with that we lose track of ourselves. This makes us heavily dependent upon them for everything from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/emotional-intimacy\/ways-to-improve-emotional-support-in-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">emotional support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> down to mental help.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This puts a tremendous <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/strained-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">strain on the relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and drains the life out of the other partner by absorbing their emotions, time, etc. When we do this, we become so dependent upon them that if we&rsquo;re not careful, we trap ourselves in these relationships and can&rsquo;t move on even if it&rsquo;s not working.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We&rsquo;re all different in many respects, and our differences are what make each unique.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>19. Good communication<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s funny how we bounce words off each other&rsquo;s eardrums and refer to it as communication. <\/span><b>Communication refers to listening, understanding, and responding.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also watch:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazingly, different words mean different things to different people. You could tell your partner something and mean one thing while hearing and understanding something different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What we often do in communicating is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/communication\/become-a-better-listener\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">listen while the other person is speaking<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a space to jump in and give our views and assessment of the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is not proper communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4852543\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">True communication in any relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involves one person addressing a particular issue. At the same time, the other party listens until the first party has finished. The second party restates what was heard for clarification and understanding before responding to that particular issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29031 size-full\" title=\"Have each other&rsquo;s back\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/New-Project-26.jpg\" alt=\"Have each other&rsquo;s back\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h3><b>20. Honor each other&rsquo;s strengths\/weaknesses<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marriage is successful when you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/teamwork-in-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">work as a unified team<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can&rsquo;t expect your partner to be all of the things. <\/span><b>One of the important tips on how to keep a relationship strong and happy is that we should&nbsp; <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/why-you-shouldnt-try-to-change-your-partner\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">never try to change our partner<\/span><\/a><b> or expect them to become someone else.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, to define our healthy relationship, we need to name our strengths and weaknesses. We need to look at where we can fill the gaps for each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>21. Expect less<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/managing-expectations-in-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expectations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cause disappointment and are born of &ldquo;Shoulds.&rdquo; Relationships have no &ldquo;shoulds&rdquo; other than respect, honesty, and kindness. So, if you think your partner should take out the garbage, clean their sock drawer or tell you what a great cook you are, you are setting yourself up for some disappointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A happy relationship is a two-way street. It&rsquo;s a shared effort and combined approach that are keys to being happy in the union.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to understand how a relationship evolves with time. Therefore, every happy relationship should start with a strong foundation, understanding, and communication.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tips mentioned above on how to keep a relationship strong and happy will help you maintain a thriving relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&rsquo;ve all heard that a relationship &ldquo;takes work,&rdquo; but what does that mean exactly? Frankly, it sounds like drudgery. Who wants to spend hours at an office only to come home to job number two? Wouldn&rsquo;t it be more pleasant to think of your relationship as a source of comfort, fun, and pleasure? Of course, it would. Here are some basic fixes if things feel stagnant, if the good times are becoming few and far between, if arguing is your main form of communication, or if you need a tune-up. How to keep a relationship strong and happy doesn&rsquo;t need <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":108114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[2568],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/93"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9093"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":108115,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093\/revisions\/108115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}