In 1977, Klinger posted a question, “What makes life meaningful?” the answer, not surprisingly, was largely made up of relationships, 89% to be exact.

This means that human being has in its nature to be in a relationship.

Looking at the popular definition for relationship it is “ the way two or more people are connected, or the way they behave toward each other.”

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Kelley et al., (1983) stated that relationships exist to the extent that two people put forth strong, frequent and diverse effects on one another over a prolonged period of time.

The level of their connection has a way to determine the way they express love, kindness, gratitude, anger e.t.c. to each other.

This connection can be natural e.g by birth or groomed i.e in a dating or marriage relationship.

Talking about the groomed relationship that may lead to dating or marriage, listed below are five basic relationship list

1. Open Effective Communication

Open communication is the foundation of any successful relationship .

As easy as it may sound, many don’t communicate effectively and this may be the reason why their relationship is sinking.

voicing your feelings, fears, expectations, and needs is vital. Even if you are in the middle of a conflict, communication comes in handy to resolve conflicts and strengthen your bond.

Note that, no one is a mind reader ,they cannot read your mind neither can you read theirs.

2. Trust In Each Other

To trust means to rely on another person because you feel safe with them and have confidence that they will not hurt or violate you. Trust strengthens the foundation of relationships because it allows you to be vulnerable and open up to the person without having to defensively protect yourself,” says Romanoff.

Having trust in a relationship signals longevity and permanence.

Trust can be built from effective communication with time.

3. Respecting Each Other

Respect means that you accept somebody for who they are, even when they’re different from you or you don’t agree with them.

Respect doesn’t have to come naturally — it is something you can learn.

No matter how cliché it sounds, disrespecting your partner can fade the love they have gor you. Love cannot be a justification for sacrificing your self-worth or disrespecting your partner. You need to respect the differences and not impose your likes or dislikes on the other. The best way to strengthen your bond is to celebrate and respect the differences.

3. Forgiveness

You might have a list of qualities you are looking for in your partner, but at the end of the day, to err is human and to forgive is divine. If a sincere heart makes an apology and works on doing things differently, learn to forgive and move on.

Research has even found that people who practice unconditional forgiveness are more likely to enjoy longer lives.

Forgiveness is such a key component to a healthy relationship, because, let’s face it, people are not perfect. No matter how close to complete a soulmate we find, every individual is incredibly different from the next.

4. Being A Team

John Maxwell once said, “The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement.

As much as you require personal space, staying strong together is vital too. A relationship requires you to wear different hats at various times. Sometimes you may have to listen to your partner patiently and offer support. At other times, you must offer unbiased, constructive criticism or a different perspective to help them make better, informed choices. Of course, there will be times when your partner will have to step into those roles for you as well. Your combined strengths compensate for each other’s weaknesses and help you work through challenging situations effectively.

There Is No “I” In “Team”

5. Spending Quality Time Together

Quality time refers to moments that hold much value spent in the company of the important people in our lives. In Gary Chapman’s five love languages, quality time is the language that revolves around togetherness. It is love and affection expressed through undivided attention.

How do two strangers become inseparable and end up totally in love? Well, it is all about spending quality time with each other and prioritizing your relationship. The time spent together helps to know your partner better.

Having these five list, pen them down,become them and see how your relationship will blossom.

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