How to make a long-term relationship work | AD

It’s so easy to fall into a comfy routine once you’re in a long-term relationship and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. The fact you’ve found someone to be relaxed with and feel safe around is wonderful but while I’m a strong believer in embracing that comfort it’s also nice to make an effort sometimes. Here’s how to make a long-term relationship work.

Josh and I have been together 12 years now and we’re getting married this year. Been together from such a young age has been nice as we’ve grown up together and figured things out together. After such a long time together though and with the start of a new phase in our relationship coming this year I figured it might be quite good to make a few relationship resolutions that you could also use too!

The biggest thing to do in a long-term relationship is to still remember to date each other. A mix of bigger and smaller dates is always nice or you could even throw lots of ideas in a jar and pick a random one out now and then. Dating when you’re in a long-term relationship is massively important as it gives you quality time together doing something fun and there’s an opportunity to look nice for each other. I love nothing more than a night in, pjs on and snuggled on the sofa with Netflix but making that extra effort to go out and do something together is so nice and it’s proper quality time spent doing something we don’t do all the time. Plus it’s great to swap my fluffy pjs for a nice outfit too. 

Dating isn’t just for those not yet in a relationship or for younger people. You should be dating at all stages of your life and relationship, so yes you could even try out silver dating! If you are single, remember what it feels like to date and take that forward into any relationships that may come from it because I can promise you it will make a world of difference! 

I love spending time with Josh I really do but those moments I get on my own or the nights where it’s just me and the cats? I absolutely love those too. Time apart is crucial because honestly, you will get sick of each other and that’s not a healthy position to be in. We spent 3 years of our relationship living in a tiny studio apartment together when we were at uni so I definitely know how important it is to have some time alone and to do your own thing. It might not seem like much but every week Josh and I have a couple of hours apart on a Saturday. He sees his family and I usually do blog work, it’s nothing special but it’s the space we need to not drive each other crazy. 

How easy is it to let all the little things that meant so much at the start of your relationship slide? Things such as holding hands or random kisses and lets be fair, even the bedroom side of stuff. Maintaining intimacy isn’t just about keeping the spark between the sheets even though that is important because lets face it, it’s a pretty big part of a relationship but all those little intimate acts are important too and they tend to be the ones we forget about. Think back to when you were first together, chances are you probably couldn’t keep your hands off each other. You probably also held hands all the time, cuddled loads and stole lots of kisses when you could. It’s important to keep that going even in a long-term relationship.

 If you’re currently dating then remember how much all the little things mean because they’re going to be just as important if it progresses into a long-term relationship. Feeling loved up and expressing that isn’t something that should ever stop. Whether you’re young and in love or part of a senior dating site intimacy is a huge factor in making a relationship work.

Josh makes me laugh on a daily basis. It helps that we both share a dark sense of humour and find the same things funny. But 12 years on he can still have me in tears with laughter. Having fun together and not taking things too seriously is a big part of making a long-term relationship work.

Do you have any tips for make a long-term relationship work? Leave them in the comments!

Pin this: