5 Rules for a Happy Relationship

We all want to know the secret to a happy relationship, but the truth is, there is no “secret.” There’s no cheat sheet to a happy relationship, and hard work is always going to be on the agenda, no matter what.

Hardships will always arise, even if you try your best to avoid them, but there are guidelines or "rules" you can follow to help keep things positive and healthy...most of the time.

No matter what relationship you're trying to improve, these foolproof rules will help you get through the worst of times and strengthen the relationship more and more each time you use them.

But most of all, remember that love looks beyond perfection.

So no more fretting! Let's get to it...

1. Make time for the other person.

We all know how busy life can get, and putting someone first is a challenge, to say the least, but sometimes (most of the time) it's the right thing to do. Choosing this special person over yourself, friends, family, work, etc., is a way to show your affection and how serious you are. Nothing says "I love you" more than sacrifice.

We all know how bad it can feel to be left out, so why do this to someone you care about? Making plans to involve everyone, including this loved one, is another way to show how much you care. Leaving them out, even if it's just for a while, will only dampen the mood and create tension. So make it a habit to include them as often as you can.

Go and spend some quality time with your loved one!

2. Don't say things you don't mean.

We've all heard the phrase before. "Don't make promises you can't keep." And for relationships, this is especially true, because if you can't hold true to your words, they start to mean very little, and actions will always speak louder than words.

It hurts to be let down by someone that you love, so don't speak vain words that you'll never back up. Words have more effect than most people understand. Do your best to back up the things you say by actually doing them.

Communication is key, especially when it's true, and the truth is always best.

3. Respect Yourself, Respect Them

We've all heard it before, but it's really true! If you don't love yourself, you cant love others. Same goes for respect, and the honest truth is that love, at its most basic form, is respect. So to love someone properly, you need to respect yourself first.

That means you need to be healthy not just in body, but in mind. You need to take care of yourself, be an upstanding person, and help others who need you. Be caring, thoughtful, and productive.

When you can step up to the challenge of respecting yourself and others, and not back down, you're ready to be the best partner anyone could ever need.

4. Actually Understand Their Perspective

They're trying to explain it to you, but you just don't get it. That's a common problem in most relationships, but what most people don't realize is that the key to solving this problem has more to do with themselves than with the other person.

Stop. Listen. Contemplate. Understand.

Put aside the things that make you different, the things that cloud your judgment, and see it from their perspective. When you can truly do this, you'll be able to disarm any argument and turn it into a valuable discussion that will bring you both closer together.

Because the key is that you're still two very different people with very different lives, very different minds, and very different souls. Still very unique. And to effectively "be one," you need to accept the reality that maybe your truth...just isn't the same truth as theirs.

5. Be more realistic. They're human, after all.

Your unreal expectations will not help anything. You need to sit back and evaluate whether what you expect from this person is fair, or if you just demand things because of past hurts that have affected you.

They can't read your mind. They're not going to be perfect, and it's not your place to be hellish to them because they're not delivering up to your unhealthy standards.

You need to heal yourself. You need to communicate. You need to treat them the way you'd like to be treated.

And no one wants to be treated unfairly.

So love with all your heart, in the purest way, and never stop.