Healthy relationships are effortless, if both the persons involved take equal effort to maintain it. Some of you maybe in a long distance relationship, some might be married, some might be engaged in a fling, or some of you might be reading this to get into a relationship. Nonetheless, the rules of creating a balanced relationship are the same irrespective of what your status is. A successful couple does nothing different, it's just that they do things differently. A positive perspective towards life and your relationship is the first move towards building a long-lasting relationship. Here are a few suggestions to help you build the life of your dreams with your companion and confidant. Art of Communication Communication is an art of putting your thoughts into words, so that they are exactly understood by the opposite person. Communication does not mean going on talking unnecessarily. This is first mistake that couples make. One person in the relationship assumes the role of talker and the other becomes the listener. Their roles remain so forever. The talker forgets to listen and the listener becomes used to listening and not reacting. If your partner takes time to open up, help them out by asking questions. Often late bloomers, take early offense. So hear them out and give subtle reactions. You will gradually begin to notice increased confidence in both of you to open up and hear things out. Give each other a fair chance to listen is a good starting point. Agree to Disagree Regular conversations take the form of heated arguments amongst many couples. Understand that not every statement needs a reaction. Maybe a certain reaction may trigger off an argument with your partner. Just agree with whatever it is and there will be no harm done. Try and reach a mutual agreement, if that's not possible, leave the topic for later. If you give it time, may be both of you will be able to think about it rationally. Learn Everyday Every single day is a blessing. Each moment with your partner is a moment to learn something new and discover the finer nuances of your relationships. Each one of us keep changing everyday, the circumstances around us change everyday, and with that our attitude also needs to change. The same applies when you are living with a person. Honesty is the Best Policy Consider it a cliché or an adage, 'honesty is the best policy'. Be honest to your partner about what you feel. This will get both of you closer and strengthen the bond like never before. Another advantage of being honest is, it drives away all the inhibitions and fears in a relationship. Time Out After a certain period, couples complain about romance in a relationship being lost. To keep your relationship healthy, take some time out from your day-to-day routines to spend some quality time and catch up with each other. This can be done as dinners, indulging in outdoor activities, or just hanging out at a coffee shop like the old times. Intimacy Intimacy is a very important part of having a healthy relationship. Do not ignore your sex life (with your partner) under the garb of work pressure, children, distance, tiredness, or whatever it may be. Every time you shun away an intimate moment, you are making a crack in the relationship. Having a good intimate relationship not only brings you closer physically, but emotionally too. Command Respect Respect has to be earned. It can only be earned if only you learn to respect. Often, one of the partner plays the role of a dictator, while the other simply follows. Both the persons involved are equally responsible for this mistake. Learn to respect each other and understand that both of you are equally responsible towards the relationship. Creating a meaningful relationship takes equal effort from both the persons. Sharing, caring, being apologetic, forgiving, and having realistic expectations are some of the important ingredients. Probably, you have heard and read these suggestions in several other places. However, this time take them seriously as you board the new phase of life for finding a fulfilling relationship. Good luck!