9 Behaviors That Can Ruin Your Relationship

Have you ever wondered why love sometimes fades even in the happiest and most successful relationships and why even the happiest couples break up?

What stops us from maintaining the attraction, passion, and closeness we once felt for our significant other?

Well, there’s a number of internal and external factors that determines this. And the most obvious answer is that healthy, meaningful, long-lasting relationships require much more than just love. They require mutual respect, appreciation, loyalty, and trust. They require both you and your partner to be willing to put hard work into the relationship.

Healthy, harmonious, successful relationships require you and your significant other to treat each other with patience, kindness, and compassion. They require both of you to be willing to make sacrifices and compromises.

And, undoubtedly, being in this kind of relationship is one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences. But what many couples fail to realize is that once the honeymoon phase is over in the relationship, they enter a new phase where both of them become comfortable being themselves and they may easily replace real love with the idea of being in love.

And this phase can last until the couple no longer shows any discernible loving behavior and starts to express animosity towards each other.

The following list will help you recognize 9 behaviors that can ruin your relationship and being aware of them might help you avoid that:

1. Not listening to your partner.

When you’re actively listening to your partner, this shows them that you care about their opinions. It shows them that what they have to say matters. On the other hand, focusing and valuing only your own opinions leaves your partner with an impression that you don’t care about them and whatever happens in their life.

2. Not making enough time for your partner.

Couples that are in healthy, successful relationships know that showing that they love and care about each other should be their priority. And the best way to do that is by ensuring you spend good quality time with your partner and make time for them no matter how busy you are.

3. Not having trust in your partner.

Nothing destroys relationships as fast as lack of trust. Trust alongside respect are the basis upon which healthy, meaningful, successful relationships are built. Suspicion can easily make even the happiest relationship fall apart and it’s extremely difficult to get over the fact that your partner, i.e. the person you thought trusted you completely actually suspects your honesty and/or loyalty.

4. Taking your partner for granted.

Even the happiest and most harmonious relationships can turn sour if you start to take your significant other for granted and stop appreciating the qualities you fell in love with at the beginning of the relationship.

That’s why you need to continue treating your partner with affection and appreciation throughout the whole relationship. You need to maintain the passion and closeness you felt for each other at the beginning and continue to prove your love for them.

5. Not giving them space.

Both you and your partner have your own lives and both of you need alone time. You know that you’re in a harmonious, happy relationship if you and your significant other respect each other’s boundaries.

On the other hand, if you ask from them to be with you all the time and make drama and criticize them whenever they go out and hang out with their friends, the only thing you’ll achieve is making them think about ending the relationship because no one wants to date an insecure, needy, clingy person.

6. Cheating.

Do we have to explain this in details? I mean, it’s simple – just don’t do it. If you’re planning to cheat on your partner or you simply don’t mind this kind of behavior, then you most probably shouldn’t be in a relationship.

And if you’re the one who’s been cheated on, tell them you want to end the relationship before they decide to “explore other opportunities” again. That kind of person doesn’t deserve to be a part of your life. 

7. Being jealous all the time.

Jealousy is healthy as long as it’s rational. But once it turns into just plain obsession, it can quickly destroy any relationship.

Once you understand and accept the fact that your partner has friends and they like spending time with them, you’ll see that there has never been a reason for you to be jealous. After all, in a relationship that is based on mutual trust and honest love, there’s no room for obsessive jealousy.

 

8. Flirting with others.

This is a no-no. No one deserves to feel like they’re just an option, or a temporary fun, or one small fish in a sea full with fish. And this is exactly how you’re going to make your partner feel if they catch you flirting with others.

Of course, you’ll always find someone who looks more attractive than your bae, but unless you’re planning to break up with them, well, you know which direction you need to keep your eyes in.

9. Keeping secrets from your partner.

If you really want your relationship to last, make sure you don’t keep secrets from your partner. Instead, be always honest with them. What you need to always bear in mind is that hiding things from them can break the trust you two have in one another, and, trust me, when your trust is gone, so is your relationship.