If everybody already knew how to make a relationship work we would all still be with the first man or woman we fell in love with, but that is not the case. It takes some people years of anguish and heartache to learn how to make a relationship work.  Even then your relationship is unlikely to last unless you are prepared to put what you have learned into practice. If you have just met someone you feel strongly for and you want to know how to make a relationship work then the first thing you need to realize is that it is not easy. In order to have a fulfilling romantic relationship with another individual you must follow three basic rules.

Loyalty And Effort

People who know how to make a relationship work will do whatever is necessary to be with the other person, within reason. The truth is that relationships are like bank accounts. If you keep putting money into the bank then eventually you will be financially comfortable. Conversely if you persistently draw out more than you put in your bank account will soon be empty. Similarly if you take more than you give in a relationship your partner will soon realize there is nothing in it for them. If you both put the work into your relationship then it will blossom and grow. The key is not to get too comfortable and start taking your partner and the love they give you for granted.

Stick To Your Principles

If you sacrifice your values and principles in order to be with the one you love then you do not really know how to make a relationship work, even if you have been married for forty years. Too many people feel taken for granted, abused or neglected by their partner but do not speak up for fear of losing the relationship. Consequently resentment builds up and festers for years until they eventually explode because they cannot take it anymore. Couples who know how to make a relationship work tell each other when there is something they are unhappy or uncomfortable with. This gets things into the open, which is often all that is required to resolve the situation.

Make Time To Be Together

Happily married couples who have been together for years and know how to make a relationship work understand the importance of friendship. Your partner should not just be the person you go to bed with. He or she should also be someone you can laugh, cry and debate with. Your partner should be the person with whom you explore new places and try new experiences. If you know how to make a relationship work you will make time to hang out with the person you love even if you work eighty hours per week.