When anyone gets into a relationship, they put their best foot forward. Yet at times, the relationship falls apart. To avoid that, here are some tips to ensure that your relationship stands the test of time. Put Equal Effort Maintaining a healthy relationship is easy as long as you are completely honest with yourself and your partner. To make a relationship work, both the sides have to put in an equal amount of effort, otherwise sooner or later the one who is putting in more effort will get tired and it will be the end of the romance. Communicate The simplest of ways to maintain a relationship is to talk to one another. The reason why your relationship with your friends is so rewarding is because you communicate. Talk to your partner and share your feelings, if there is something about your partner that is bothering you, convey it to him/her as sensitively as possible. Only then can the person take the right action. Don't expect the person to read your mind about why you are annoyed with them. Be Realistic Many couples unknowingly have unrealistic expectations from each other. For example, if you are in a long distance relationship, don't expect the other person to spend every evening on the phone with you. Don't expect your partner to have conversations that last for hours every single time you call. Don't be over-possessive, your partner has the right to have his/her own friend circle and go out as and when he/she pleases. The best, and perhaps the most necessary, thing to follow is to be realistic and give each other room to grow. Respect, Honesty, and Trust It is very important for a couple to respect each other and be completely honest. Don't get abusive when you have a tiff, as yelling will just lead to resentment later. Respect and trust are as fragile as a crystal glass, once shattered, there is no going back. Trust each other; constant and misplaced suspicion will only breed bitterness. Honesty is the key to happiness, so be honest about your needs and opinions. Don't pretend to be someone you are not, but don't be too needy either. Be Responsible for Your Happiness It is very important that you realize that you are responsible for your own happiness. Don't expect your partner to be the sole crusader of your happiness. You need to be in the right state of mind to successfully make a relationship last. You have to be comfortable in your own skin, as only then can you share yourself with another person. If you have some issues that you need to deal with, do so before you enter any commitment, otherwise the issue will be the root cause of many disagreements between you two. Space & Values It is important that you take your relationship as a journey that you can learn from. You need to respect each others space and values. So, don't put your partner in a position where you will be asking them to compromise on their values. Spend some time away from each other to avoid taking each other for granted. It is important that each person retains their independence in a relationship. Forgive & Forget Fights and arguments are inevitable in any relationship. The difference in how these disagreements affect different people depends on the reaction. Never over-analyze a fight or play the blame game. Remember to forgive and forget, as harnessing resentment against your partner will only lead to more problems. Many relationships attribute their success to never sleeping off a fight. All issues can be resolved, so solve the problem and then get a good night's sleep. Lovers & Friends What most people forget is to remain friends with each other while still being in a romantic relationship. You have to be both friends and lovers. You need to share secrets and laughs so that you can create not only romantic memories, but also fun memories. Being friends will help the couple get better acquainted with the soul of their partner. These were just some tips for a long-lasting relationship, but the truth is that deep down everyone knows what they need to do to make it work. It's important that you spend quality time with each other and love each other with all of your heart, because if your feelings are pure, your relationship will last forever.