Working as a couples therapist, I’ve had many people tell me over the years how difficult they think it is to have a happy relationship. “The divorce rate is over 50%.” “It’s so much work.” “If it’s this hard, something must be wrong.” Here’s some very good news: The high divorce rate and the number of failed relationships you see around you need have no impact on the success of your own relationship.
While building and maintaining a healthy relationship takes effort, doing so is possible, and the ongoing challenge of finding creative and loving ways to handle tough challenges can actually be fun.
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are my top suggestions for steps you can take to have a great relationship. Please keep in mind that while these steps are simple in concept, they are not always easy to practice.
So don’t get discouraged. And remember that if you consistently work at doing your best in your relationship, doing so will likely get easier over time. Strive to always have a sense of humor about how difficult relationships can be. We’re all different in big ways, so of course it’s hard to share your life with someone at times.