4 Reasons Why Relationships are Hard to Maintain.  It’s said that “A relationship is like a job. You have to work hard to get in it and work even harder to stay in it”. We couldn’t agree more. Just like it takes two to tango, a successful relationship requires work, effort and a lot of patience from both partners. There is no other secret to a happy and healthy long-term relationship.

So, the question is, why do so many relationships fail? Unhappiness comes into the equation of a happy relationship or married life when one of the partners gets stuck in the past, hoping that the relationship will stay as perfect as it was when they both first met.

The truth of the matter is that everything around us changes, so do our relationships. But how you deal with and nurture your relationship through all the highs and lows makes all the difference and determines its longevity.

In today’s post, we will focus on just that aspect of relationships. We’ll share with you some of the problems that are transformed into big challenges for couples to overcome and make their relationships extremely difficult to maintain. Before we get to that, here is a piece of advice for you. If you happen to identify with any of these difficulties, you and your partner should consider opting for marriage counseling. You don’t have to give up on a beautiful relationship just because things are not working out for you.

Take a look at these 4 Reasons Why Relationships are Hard to Maintain.  These are the most common relationship issues and learn to cope with them so that you can have a healthy relationship with your better half:

1.   Force Your Desires, Beliefs and Expectations onto Your Partner

Friction in your relationship can arise when you or your partner start imposing their desires, beliefs and expectations onto the other, forcing them to change into someone that they are not.

Regardless of who does this, it gives a negative indirect message to their partner that they are not good enough as they are and what they need to change. Some examples include statements like:

• ‘You should do this’
• ‘You should behave like this’
• ‘You shouldn’t do that’

So, the best way to deal with it is to accept your spouse with an open heart. Focus on their positive qualities, traits and attributes that made you fall in love with them in the first place. But if you really want them to change a certain aspect of their personality or behavior, try to be polite and communicate your desires with love so that it doesn’t hurt them but motivates them to change for the better.

2.   Failure to Manage Conflict

Conflicts are common in a relationship. They can arise because of the difference of opinion and poor communication. No matter what the reason may be, it is important to resolve conflicts tactfully so that things can be resolved right away without holding on grudges.

Keep in mind that if you don’t learn to manage conflicts with your partner, you will never be able to develop a strong bond with them. Unresolved conflicts can cause feelings of unhappiness, bitterness and loneliness and take a toll on your relationship.

In order to make things work between two people in a relationship, conflict management through open, honest and clear communication is key. The more you talk about your obstacles, the better. When resolving conflicts in your relationship, be it minor or major, try to keep a compassionate heart and open mind.

3.   The Romance is Gone

Intimacy is a core component of a relationship. However, it’s quite common for romance to fade away with time. Sometimes, romance takes a backseat as couples tend to feel bored later on in the relationship or get busy with other responsibilities, such as taking care of their children and work. All this can often make you doubt your emotions and your love for your spouse, thus, making it difficult to maintain a happy relationship.

It is indeed important to keep both sides happy and satisfied. So, to make sure that you enjoy being in a relationship, you and your partner have to nourish it, especially when the natural excitement that comes in a new relationship decreases.

Maintaining a romantic relationship takes serious work. Both partners should try to create new experiences, rekindle the old ones and opt for couple retreats or plan vacations to bond with one another and ignite the spark to fall in love again. This will take time, but you’ll get there.

4.   Take Things for Granted

Once you get comfortable in a relationship, it becomes easy to take things for granted. With all the distractions around us and responsibilities to meet, it’s easier to overlook the little things that your partner does for you, such as telling you that they love you or washing the dishes when you are tired.

A part of maintaining a happy relationship, especially when things get out of control and difficult to cope with, is to sit down and recall all the little things that your beloved does for you on a daily basis. Gestures like a cup of coffee together or a goodbye kiss in the morning can become the highlight of your day if you learn to appreciate them. So, start appreciating every gesture of affection, regardless of how big or small it is. This will help you live happily with your partner even once the honeymoon period ends.

The Last Word

Just like you, your relationship also transitions through different stages and grows over time. Along the way, you are bound to hit some road bumps. How you tackle and cope with them determines the strength of your relationship and the desire to be with the person you love. In simple words, a relationship can go through a lot of rough patches, and overcoming them requires commitment and effort.

The best way to get through the tough times is to seek help. Consider marriage counseling from us. Our experienced marriage coaches are dedicated to working with couples and make their marriage work. We help couples understand their issues and challenges in a different light and provide them with strategies to help them overcome their problems and build their relationship stronger than ever.

Need to talk with a professional relationship coach? Contact Marriage Means Moore for a FREE Consultation!