LOVE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH : HERE IS HOW TO MAKE IT ENOUGH

It's few days to valentine when love is most celebrated all over the world. But there is more to love than just saying I LOVE YOU. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong in expressing your love to your significant other with or through words. I love hearing those words from the one I love too. 

Saying 'I LOVE YOU' to your significant other or hearing those words from your significant other releases dopamine in the brain which in turn gives us positive feelings and the motivation to keep keeping on .

Love serves as the building block for every relationship but not it's fuel to keep it going. It takes a lot more than love to sustain a relationship and keep it growing. 

True love can make us feel those butterflies in the stomach, make our eyes twinkle and a racing heart beat but experience lets us know that it takes more than these feelings of love to have a healthy and lasting relationship that becomes our greatest source of joy and happiness.

More to love are the necessary tools or skills to have a healthy relationship such as;

PATIENCE : Understanding in every relationship is built on patience. The more we are patient with each other, the more understanding we become of each other leading to growth, peace and a deeper connection with each other. There is no perfect person or relationship so accepting and being patient with each other's shortcomings, flaws, and mistakes builds a healthier and lasting relationship. 

READ ALSO : STRIVE FOR PROGRESS AND NOT PERFECTION

KINDNESS : Being kind towards each other in words and deeds. There is a popular phrase that says marry a kind or good person and this is so true. A kindhearted person will always weather every storm with you, be kind and good to you.

UNDERSTANDING : This is very crucial for a healthy and lasting relationship. Understanding of one's emotions and feelings, strengths and weaknesses, mistakes and flaws builds a healthy relationship

MUTUAL RESPECT : Respect for one's beliefs, values - if different from each other's -, feelings, emotions, and perspectives in life. 

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION : This is very vital for a healthy and lasting relationship. You can't be in a relationship and not have an effective communication. Effective communication enables you to get to know and understand each other more.

SUPPORT : If you are in a relationship with someone who is not supportive in anyway, then you ought not to be in that relationship. Mutual support financially, spiritually, materially, emotionally, physically as well as support each other's dreams and goals is vital for a healthy relationship.

HEALTHY COMPROMISE : There should be willingness for both persons to adjust to the needs and perspectives of each other to arrive at a meeting point where each one is comfortable with the other as well as find solutions that may arise as a result of each other's differences while at the same time respecting each other's feelings and boundaries as touching sensitive matters. 

GENEROSITY : Relationships are a two-way-street and not one-sided. A person who does all the giving emotionally, financially, materially, spiritually and otherwise will eventually be worn out and give up on the relationship. A one sided generosity can ruin a relationship to a point of no return. It is a an example of LOVE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH

SELF-CONFIDENCE: Have a healthy perspective or outlook towards your relationship, mental capability and body. Feeling not good enough or not adequate enough for anything destroys the relationship before you know it. Be comfortable in your own skin, voice out your thoughts respectfully without forcing your opinion on your partner and learn to solve issues that arise amicably.

INDEPENDENCE : In every aspect of life -emotionally, financially, spiritually, mentally, materially and as regards goals and visions - no one wants to have a partner as a liability. We must exhibit some form of independence in all these areas to have a sound relationship. We don't want to drain our partners.

You can actually be in love with a person but without these tools to sustain and keep the relationship going, the relationship is headed for a crash. It takes a conscious commitment against all odds to have a thriving relationship.

READ ALSO : THE BEAUTY OF LOVE 2 : THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES

Quote for the day -"Relationships fail not because we stopped loving but because we stopped putting in the effort." Rhoda I. Amapakabo

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