Seven Ways to Know That Your Relationship Is Meant to Last

At some point in every relationship, a person realizes whether or not they are meant to be together with their significant other. However, these “warm, fuzzy feelings” can be fickle things – especially in the beginning stages of the relationship. One day you can be certain that your love will last a lifetime and the very next day doubt if you are genuinely in love with that person. As your relationship matures and you get a sense of what true commitment really is, you should be able to get a better grasp of whether or not you are compatible with each other. Compatibility is a very important part of creating a secure environment within your relationship. Being compatible is a combination of many things – financial goals, religious beliefs, problem resolution, temperaments, etc.

Below are 7 ways you can know if your relationship is meant to last:

1.) YOU ARE COMPLETELY ATTRACTED TO THEM …this does NOT only mean physical attraction. Are you attracted to the way they live life? This means their attitude towards life and the atmosphere that they create in your relationship? A person’s work ethic, intelligence, money management, approachability, compassion, bubbly or serious personality, and natural gifts can be important qualities that people find attractive. It may be one of these qualities that first brings you together in the first place. Someone can be the most beautiful or handsome individual in the world, but their character can make them an ugly and miserable person to be around. Looks will fade, but a person’s personality can remain the same. When you are with your significant other, does it feel like home? Do you smile when you picture yourself being with them 50 years down the road? Pro Tip: Don’t completely exclude physical attraction because it is very important. If that is the face that you will wake up to for the rest of your life, you need to find it pleasant! Do you love their smile or the way they crinkle up their nose when they are thinking? Finding their appearance endearing is a special part of your relationship because those qualities will last a lifetime.

2.) YOUR RELATIONSHIP IS A HAPPY & PEACEFUL PLACE TO BE At the end of a long, busy workday, are you excited to go home to your significant other (or at least see them that evening)? When you are alone together, do you feel happy and contented? If you saw them standing in the middle of a crowded room, would you smile and walk towards them because they were the person you wanted to be with the most? These questions may seem petty, but they hold a huge amount of value! There are a lot of people who dread going home to their spouse at the end of the day! They walk into a house of negativity, grumbling, bickering, and nagging. They would give anything to go back and re-choose their life partner. But now, they feel stuck in a large black hole of a relationship. Don’t make that mistake! Your relationship should be the place you feel safe and comfortable. And your significant other has everything to do with that!

3.) YOU CAN COMPLETELY TRUST THEM Trust cannot be left off this list because it is one of the most important things in every successful relationship! Do you feel like you can tell your significant other anything and know that you can trust them with the information? When they get home late or do something out of the ordinary, your first thought shouldn’t have to be, “Are they doing something behind my back? Can I trust them?” Do you feel like you could give them every password to your social and financial accounts and not have to worry about their actions? If you can trust someone with your finances, that is already a good sign that they are trustworthy…someone to hold onto! Do you have peace of mind that when it comes to your reputation, they have your best interest at heart? When they are upset at you, do they tell everything to their friends or family. Sadly, this is a character trait of someone your can’t fully trust. Remember, you first have to communicate your expectations if you expect them to be met. If you know that your significant other is 100% committed to your relationship and loyal to you, your future looks very bright!

4.) YOU CAN BOTH ADMIT WHEN YOU MESSED UP “I’m so sorry for *screw up*. Will you forgive me?” Remember, a real apology is always followed by changed behavior! Do you both admit when you are wrong and ask for forgiveness? Or are mistakes and bad behavior covered up or swept under the carpet to be addressed later – when the problem is far worse. Or do you make excuses for your behavior and blame each other for their over-reaction for the problem! Recipe for relationship disaster. If your relationship doesn’t include apologies, I can guarantee that there are negative emotions building up in at least one of you! If problems and misunderstandings aren’t addressed when they are small, they will slowly poison your relationship and choke out the desire to be together. Learning to address problems and apologize for wrongdoings is something that you need to start doing asap! 5.) YOU BUILD EACH OTHER UP …professionally, personally, emotionally, mentally, etc. If you have a dream, does your significant other get excited with you and support you or do they make you doubt yourself? When you accomplish something great, do they celebrate you? Or do they make it all about themselves? As you try to accomplish a life’s goal, do you feel like they are purposefully holding you back – almost like they are jealous of you? In a relationship, one partner’s success takes the support and patience of the other. You are teammates and you have to build each other up! You need to give pep talks when the other person doubts themselves and you have to listen when they are frustrated and need a listening ear. If you hear someone talking negatively about them without cause, you always defend their honor! Always! When something amazing happens to one of you, who is the first person you want to tell? Usually the person who will build you up and celebrate with you! If this isn’t your significant other, something may be wrong.

6.) YOUR INTIMACY IS ALIVE AND WELL! No, your relationship doesn’t revolve around sex! But intimacy is an incredibly important part of every single relationship. Many studies have been done on the subject of intimacy and sex. The majority of women will say that sex makes them feel closer and connected to their partner. Men, on the other hand, will say that sex makes them feel satisfied and relieved. However, intimacy doesn’t just mean sex! It also includes things like public displays of affection, holding hands, kissing goodbye, snuggling on the couch, and giving each other a a warm hug. All those daily little things that say, “I absolutely love you and I need you.” 7.) YOU CAN’T IMAGINE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT THEM Sit back and picture yourself without your significant other in your life. Does that make you feel relieved or excited? Do you feel like you could finally move on with your life or fulfill your dreams without them? If you can imagine a better life without your significant other, then you probably shouldn’t be together. I’m not talking about being in a long-term relationship or marriage that you should fight for. I’m talking about being in a relationship for a while and wondering if this is the person you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with! If the thought of them not being with you makes your heart ache and stirs up emotions, that is a pretty good sign that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. They should be 100% irreplaceable!