I truly believe that love is not enough to maintain a long lasting relationship. Love should come with respect, along with other pillars such as communication, constant effort, trust and forgiveness. In today’s article, let’s focus on how crucial respect is for a relationship to work because love without respect is very dangerous.
If you truly love a person, you will treat them with respect. Saying that you respect your partner is easy but actually showing it can be a bit trickier.
To ensure mutual respect in your relationship, here are 5 important ways to show it:
1. Communicate effectively.
Communication is an important contributing factor in a successful relationship. It is the key in solving problems, making good decisions together as well as getting to know your partner in a deeper level. One of the best ways to show someone respect is to communicate effectively – in an open, trusting and honest matter. Tell them what you feel and how you feel about them or certain situations. At the same time, listen to what they are saying and not saying. If you respect your partner, you let them speak and you attentively listen to their thoughts and opinions.
2. Be accountable.
A relationship is never easy, it’s nowhere perfect and problems are inevitable that is why accountability is one of the many ways to show that you respect your other half. Yes, we should all learn how to acknowledge our wrongdoings and apologize for our mistakes.
3. Appreciate your differences.
Never criticize your partner if their ideas, interests, opinions and dreams don’t sync with yours. Every person is different. What’s right for them will not always be right for you. At the same time, don’t pressure them to do things that they are not comfortable doing. By understanding and accepting that you are two different people, you get to show your respect and love for each another.
4. Encourage time apart.
If you respect your significant other, you respect that they also need their own space and “me time.” There has to be a balance between togetherness and separateness. Let your partners do their own thing and allow them to spend time alone or with their own friends. When you encourage a little time apart, it shows that you trust and respect each other.
5. Make your significant other your priority.
Nah, I’m not saying that you need to worship them like gods and goddesses. But if you respect the value of the person in your life, he or she will definitely be a priority.
In conclusion, mutual respect plays a big role in the success of every relationship because it makes everything more manageable. When there’s respect it’s easy to treat each other with love even during disagreements, stressful situations and other relationship challenges.
