Bad relationships are a common reality that is often difficult to deal with. Seeing how fixing them requires cooperation between two persons who may happen to have some differences, not even a middleground is guaranteed to satisfy those involved. The factors involved and the specificity of each situation also mean that an advice may work for some, yet fail for others.
However, do not let this scare you. If you are going through a bad relationship that you want to fix, you are far from alone in the problem: plenty of solid advice exists from those who have managed to overcome it. It is not impossible and, if you love each other, we think you owe it to yourselves to work towards a solution.
Here are few methods that put you on the right path for a wonderful relationship.
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Make time for each other
Lack of time spent together is one of the most common reasons for bad relationships. It creates a distance between the partners, having them live their own separate lives only to later realize how rarely they intersect. Life can be quite busy, yet at least a few minutes a day can always be spent conversating about exciting things (aka not your daily routine), listening to a song together, having a walk or eating some sweets. Anything small that can still remember you why you like each other can go a long way.
Full-sized dates are also crucial to be done on a regular basis. Remember that a relationship should be among your top priorities. You can always have someone take care of the kids for a few hours or look for a solution if your profession leaves almost no time for your partner.
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Talk to each other
It may seem like such an obvious advice, yet lack of ommunication is often the biggest problem in a relationship. Try to get to know aspects of each other that are still unexplored. Have meaningful conversations instead of limiting yourselves to talking about shopping lists or any other trivial matters.
Try to calmly and rationally discuss the things that you would change in the relationship. Listen to each other and try working towards common ground.
It is not rare that one person is unhappy, yet chooses not to speak about it, worrying of the other’s feelings. This is a common situation where partners end up not knowing each other very well. In a healthy relationship, both parties should be comfortable expressing themselves in an honest way.
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Break the routine
Routines may put you in a comfort zone, but they will always become dull as a result. Relationships need to have partners experience new things once in a while, they need to remind those involved of the excitement experienced at the very beginning, when you could still find different activities that you could both enjoy.
If your dates are always the same (let’s say, eating at restaurants), then try something new. Go to a new location, experience nature, do something exciting (amusement parks, sports), anything that is worth both anticipating and remembering. In our experience, this practice will do more for your relationship than yet another date.
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Learn something new
Learning a new activity together is always memorable, feeling almost like an adventure. It allows you to share ideas, compare progress, help each other and, most importantly, have a long-term goal that you can follow together.
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Think of the other’s perspective and needs
For a happier relationship, you should always be willing to see and think about the other’s point of view. Be humble and realize that you can be wrong. Think of the other’s needs as much as you think of yours. Selfishness is a common way of bringing negativity in a relationship. If you are only willing to benefit from the other’s person efforts, but not to give just as much back, the problem lies in you.
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Do things for each other
As mentioned, relationships are all about valuing others as much as you value yourself. This means that, at times, you should be willing to do things that make your partner happy, even if you do not find personal enjoyment in them.
As a common example, a woman may not care about sports, yet going to an event that is special for her partner shows wonderful support. The same way, a man may show his affection back by attending dance classes, something he would have never done otherwise.
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Express your appreciation for each other
Some people formed the habit of not expressing things they like about their partners, thinking that they go without saying. Even when that is true, there’s a big difference between simply knowing that someone cares about you and hearing it.
Negative aspects of the relationship, on the other hand, can sometimes be the only thing that is brought up. This often creates a wrong impression of the situation.
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Identify and work on your issues
This should come as a result of several measures that we already mentioned. First of all, you should make time for some calm and productive conversations regarding your relationship. Second of all, you should both be humble enough to recognize that none of you is perfect and small changes can be made by both to the benefit of the relationship.
A common sign of a relationship is when one or both persons think they are entitled to their desires, without making an effort to satisfy the other.
For example, one person may be unreasonably jealous. In a healthy relationship, this would be addressed following stimulating conversations, making the said person realize that their partner could not have any interest in anyone else. In a bad relationship, however, one may justify exaggerated jealousy as part of their personality and do nothing to address it.
These are just a few ways to go about if you are wondering how to fix a bad relationship. With that being said, we are well aware that some people simply do not fit together – no amount of advice could change that.
But if there is one thing to take from here, it is this: healthy relationships are all about working together with your partner towards a wonderful result, something that many have managed to do.