What happens when the honeymoon period is over? Jo Middleton talks to real life couples to find out their top tips for building a relationship that lasts. 

 

It’s what we’re all dreaming of right? Finding that one person – your soulmate; ‘the one’. But, all too often, all of our attention is focused on that single event: falling in love. Far less thought is given to exactly what you’re meant to do afterwards; how to navigate that happily ever after…

 

So, to find out the secret to long-lasting love, we turned to some real life couples to find out exactly what has helped their relationships go the distance.

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1. Spend time apart

‘It’s important to keep your own interests. My husband and I have our own hobbies and clubs that we go to on our own’ – Tami.

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2. Pay attention

‘Pay attention, in big and little ways’ – Michael.

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3. Have space

‘Give each other space to do your own thing, but get involved in their thing and respect that they like it’ – Emma.

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4. Communicate

‘Don’t assume that you know what the other person thinks and wants’ – Jane.

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5. Don’t take each other for granted

‘Say thank you, be kind and appreciate the little things’ – Nadine.

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6. Respect each other

‘It’s respect and understanding that has helped us through tougher times’ – Abby.

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7. Boredom is okay

‘Don’t worry about feeling bored sometimes; you just have to find someone you’re happy being bored with’ – Alice.

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8. Maintain passion

‘It can be easy to let that side of your relationship slide when you’ve been together a while, but it’s important to keep the romance alive’ – Amy.

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9. Have shared values

‘Choose someone with the same values as you, even if you’re really different’ – Emma.

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10. Don’t accuse one another

‘One thing I’ve learnt is to steer clear of accusatory language when things get heated. Blame is a sure-fire way to make emotions escalate’ – Chloe.

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11. Always put them first

‘Always have the other person in mind in everything you do. We tell each other every day that we love each other and our main priority is each other’s happiness’ – Emma.