Let’s be honest, relationships are not easy. Some days you’ll be on top of the world with each other and other days you’re wondering what is wrong with the other person. Movies project it as a fantasy, but with the right person, it is.

When I was starting to date back in high school, I thought you have to be all lovey dovey all the time, but that’s part of it. I learned in my first ever relationship that being lovey dovey is a small portion of it, the rest is almost like a best friend type of a way. Fast forward to today and being with Brennan for almost 3 years, I learned a lot about how to be in a good, healthy relationship.

1. Don’t prolong any drama or conflicts. If you do, things won’t look good and some other conflicts will build up on top. Cut the conflict short, don’t get anyone involved, talk it out and move on.
2. You don’t have to post about your relationship all the time. In the Bible, it says love does not boast and they’re not wrong. There’s nothing wrong with having a love life or a relationship outside of social media. Sure, posting about your anniversary or a trip y’all went are good but nothing like boasting about your relationship is too much.
3. Get each other involved in each other’s lives in every aspect possible. Hiding a certain part leads to suspicion. If you are suffering medically, let your partner be there for you and support you. If your partner is struggling to find a direction in life, guide them with suggestions. Most importantly, be each other’s cheerleaders, even when you have to put your selfish needs to the side.
4. communicate, communicate, communicate! Lack of communication leads to bad situations. let your partner know about certain things. Yeah they may blow up about something you said but at least they’d be grateful to know that you communicated with them about it.

I know there are alot of things I’ve learned in my 10 years of relationships, boys, crushes, and romances, but these are the most important ones that me and Brennan keep close and why we work out this time around. Other common ones like have a life outside of the relationship, love not beat or abuse, consent is key, and other ones I can’t recall.