Advice on Relationships

Sometimes the oldest advice is the best advice. When it comes to relationships, there is nothing new under the sun. Couples have been working through problems together for thousands of years. The best advice on relationships hasnt changed during that time.

The first principal of successful relationships is that a good relationship must be based on a solid friendship. Your spouse should be your best friend. You should want to spend time together. You should share common interests. You should laugh and have fun together. If youre finding that this isnt the case in your relationship, dont fret. This advice on relationships still applies to you. All you need to do is take an interest in your spouses hobbies and pastimes. Encourage your spouse to join you in yours. Remain open-minded and retain your sense of humor (probably the best and most important advice on relationships you will ever hear).

Another important guideline for good relationships is to focus on your partners needs. Make sure you know what your partners needs are. If this is not clear to you, open the lines of communication and find out. Dont make a guessing game of it. Also, you must know what it is that you want and need from your partner, and you must communicate those needs clearly. This is long-standing advice on relationships which has stood the test of time.

One more useful bit of relationship advice is to establish clear boundaries with your partner. Again, this requires clear and open communication. It is never helpful to play games or to stay silent and hope for the best. That is a recipe for relationship disaster. An often overlooked piece of advice on relationships is to remember your limits and be aware of your partners. Being in love doesnt mean that you dont have boundaries or restrictions.

Of course, the final piece of advice on relationships that everyone ought to know is how to break up well. Sometimes relationships just dont work out, and need to end. The best way to end a relationship is to be direct and honest. Do not make excuses or lie. This will only prolong the misery for both of you. Do not turn away from your partner and hope that he or she will initiate the break up. That is simply cruel. No, the best advice when it comes to break-ups is to be clear and truthful, and get it over with quickly.

Of course, none of this advice is new. Youve probably heard most of it before. Sometimes the best advice on relationships is what you already know. Trust in the time-worn clichs, because they became clichs for a reason. Its because they work!