Tips on how to save a relationship are all over the place online, but the problem is no one really gives you a clear path to take to get to the root of your problems and find workable solutions. When you know how to get your negotiations off on the right foot and where to go from there, though, you have a much better chance of making up with your sweetie.
Decide what you want!
Before you go trying to figure out how to save a relationship, you need to know exactly what it is about that relationship you don’t want to lose. Do you want more emotional or physical intimacy? Do you want to spend more time together doing activities you both enjoy? Do you just want to get back to the kind of respect and regard you had for each other when you first started going out?
Retrace your steps!
At one point you two were the perfect couple, right? You couldn’t wait to see each other, spent hours talking, and managed to solve any disagreements without growling at each other. Then something happened. To find out exactly what that “something” was, think back in time and see if you can pin point where things started going off track.
Ideally, you’ll want to sit down and talk this through together. To you it might seem like your partner started getting snippy out of the blue, but they might be perfectly clear on what started the conflict.
Be willing to compromise!
Any book on how to save a relationship will tell you to try to find some middle ground, but they don’t all bother to explain why; much less how. The thing is if you’re tired of arguing over the same issues over and over again, then something has to change.
To be fair, both of you are going to have to give a little. So sit down together, pick one problem, and come up with a potential solution that you’re both willing to try out for at least a few weeks. That said, everyone has certain ingrained personality traits and habits that just aren’t going to go away. That means at some point you’ll have to decide if those little things you find annoying about your partner are worth breaking up over or if you can just ignore them.
Spend quality time together!
A lot of times relationships fall apart just because the two people involved don’t pay enough attention to each other. You might not be able to take a week off and tour Paris, but at least try to set aside one evening a week for a date; whether it’s at a fancy restaurant or the local bowling alley. Whatever you do, make this time sacred: no talking about work pressures, money problems, or which of the kids is in trouble this week. Instead, use the time to talk about your thoughts, beliefs and dreams.
Collecting tips and tricks on how to save a relationship won’t do you much good unless you have a solid plan of attack. The step-by-step process here is just the beginning, though. If you really want know how to save a relationship, what you need is a proven plan designed by a professional.