Although relationships are fairly easy in the beginning, they take more effort over time to remain strong, healthy, and, most of all, happy.

The following tips will help you navigate the ups and downs of life and build a passionate relationship that’s built on love, communication, and trust.

Be a supportive partner

Show genuine interest in your partner’s every day life. Be caring, encouraging and empathetic by showing compassion and understanding. 

Consider sending them a loving emoji or text to let them know you’re thinking about them. Or call and chat for five minutes to see how they’re doing. It’s little things like these that make your partner feel appreciated and loved.

Appreciate the moments

It’s been said it’s the little things in life that make a difference. But don’t wait for the moments to come to you; create them.

Hug each other before leaving for work or errands. Kiss each other before going to bed and say, “I love you.”  Be consistent with creating these little moments because that’s what matters. Small gestures are a great way to create trust and security within the relationship.

Add variety in the bedroom

You wouldn’t want to eat the same thing day after day after day. So why should sex be any different?  Adding a little variety in the bedroom is a fun way to explore and deepen intimacy.

But adding variety isn’t just for the bedroom. To keep your relationship from becoming dull or boring, spice things up! Not everything has to be planned far in advance. Be spontaneous. Go enjoy an adventure!

A fun rule to live by is the 2 x 2 x 2 rule. Go out for at least two hours every two weeks. Then, every two months, get away somewhere for the weekend. And every two years, go away for an entire week.

Prioritize time for each other to keep you relationship strong and happy.

Show appreciation and affection

Relationships tend to get comfortable after a while; couples take each other for granted.  Make the effort to show appreciation and affection. Say thank you more often. Smile. Let them know you don’t just love them but you actually like them and are glad they’re in your life!

Talk

The busyness of life takes its toll on relationships. Couples get so busy that they stop talking about meaningful stuff.

Some couples use daily check-in sessions with their partner just to see how life is going to stay connected and keep the lines of communication open. Checking in regularly deepens intimacy, too, and encourages deeper sharing. And if something is troubling either of you, you can simply mention it during your daily check-in. If it’s something serious, decide on a time to discuss it later when you have more time.

These five tips are a great starting place for improving your relationship. Review the list. What are one or two you’d be willing to try this week?