Good Qualities for Long-Term Relationships

A successful long-term relationship takes work from both partners. You and your partner should have solid communication, and show a mutual respect for each other’s feelings. A long-term relationship also benefits a couple when both partners keep friends and family out of any disagreements the couple has together. A couple can build the relationship through sharing activities together, and by spending quality time with one another.

Part of being in a successful long-term relationship is enjoying the company of your partner. Whether you participate in a shared hobby, enjoy date nights or take a class together, the time you spend with your partner should be fun, advises professor of psychology Susan Krauss Whitbourne in her Psychology Today article, "The Twelve Ties That Bind Long-Term Relationships." Couples that enjoy being together strengthen the emotional bond of the relationship. The stronger the bond, the happier the couple.

One of the most important aspects of a successful, long-term relationships is communication. A couple should sit down together and talk to each other a regular habit, says clinical psychologist John Grohol in his article, "5 Secrets to a Successful Long-Term Relationship or Marriage," published on the website Psychcentral.com. Both partners should be able to share personal needs and wants with the other. Communication should be direct and respectful, because the idea is for both partners to feel heard and respected.

A relationship involves two people -- not two people and their family and friends. When a couple starts discussing relationship details with outsiders, it degrades the integrity of the relationship, says professor of family life H. Wallace Goddard in his article, "Commitment in Healthy Relationships," published by North Carolina State University. A couple should keep disagreements and intimate relationship details, between the partners. This keeps intimate issues private, and shows that each partner respects the sanctity of the relationship.

If you perceive that your partner loves and respects you, it creates feelings of validation in the relationship. When partners feel mutual adoration with the other partner, it adds to the happiness of the relationship, say psychologists Amy Canevello and Jennifer Crocker in their article, "Creating Good Relationships: Responsiveness, Relationship Quality, and Interpersonal Goals," published in the Journal of Personal Social Psychology. Partners who show empathy and a desire to work together toward common goals -- like finishing school and getting a career, buying a home together or raising children with a particular set of values -- have a greater chance at a successful long-term relationship.