The Bible’s well-known commandments have a lot to teach us about life, but how intriguing would it be if there were similar commandments for every girl in a relationship as well? For starters, life would get much easier with a ready rulebook with time-tested relationship principles to refer to when in doubt, wouldn’t it? Here we’ve got you some hands-on tactics and ways to keep the love sparking between you and your sweetheart. All you’ve to do is to adhere to these ten commandments:
The First Commandment: Thou shall never cease to love thyself
There is something about being in a relationship that makes us so complacent that we forget to take time out for ourselves and show ourselves some TLC. The thumb rule of being happy with someone is to make sure that you’re happy with yourself. You should never stop loving yourself and taking care of your own needs. After all, you and your happiness should be your greatest priority.
The Second Commandment: Thou shall always express thyself honestly
Relationships are all about communication. Anger, jealousy or some other negative emotion may keep you from expressing your feelings to your partner. But be warned that strong communication is the only way to build trust, understand one another’s needs and respond to them appropriately. So go girl, take a leap of faith and pour your heart out.
The Third Commandment: Thou shall love your partner just the way he is
Bruno Mars knew exactly what he was saying (or perhaps he read my article) when he sang “You’re amazing just the way you are.” No one is perfect, including yourself. And it’s true that a person’s real personality never really changes. To make a relationship work, a girl must accept her sweetheart just the way he is, and so must he. So, let the little quirks just slip by. If he takes a long time (which may seem like a gazillion hours) to gel his hair before every date night, instead of complaining while you wait, just put on a funny sitcom!
The Fourth Commandment: Thou shall not behave like a dictator
Being a bully, like Regina George from Mean Girls, is easy. Yelling stuff like, “get me this, get me that,” “my way or the highway” and bossing around your man isn’t the most exciting proposition. Trust us on this, such dramatic behavior is really short lived. Instead, live the relationship in a way where you share roles and responsibilities, be there for one another and show him that you care. That’s how you nail it, girl.
The Fifth Commandment: Thou shall keep exploring new things together
They say relationships are work. And by work they mean, you need to constantly work to fall in love again, explore new places, take up new hobbies, and try new things together. From salsa dancing classes to impromptu adventure trips, you need to keep things exciting and fun.
The Sixth Commandment: Thou shall make an effort to see things from your man’s perspective
Sometimes, seeing a situation from the point of view of your man is all it takes to keep things smooth. We often get so involved in our line of thought that we forget to consider how the other person thinks, feels and perceives things. Look at the problem from his point of view and you’ll realise that everything can be solved quicker.
The Seventh Commandment: Thou shall work to create happy memories together
Keep routines and by that we mean, good morning texts, weekly date nights, bringing flowers, you get the drill? Routines will help you both feel more committed to each other and it’s a great way to take time out. This particularly helps a couple get through tough times together.
The Eighth Commandment: Thou shall not hold on to grudges
Holding grudges is toxic in any relationship. Arguments, disagreements and tiffs are absolutely normal in any relationship, so don’t freak out. Holding grudges, and being passive-aggressive only make things worse. Better approach? When all is said and done, forgive, patch up, shake hands and forget that you ever had a fight!
The Ninth Commandment: Thou shall not hit on any other man
Being loyal is a no brainer for any relationship to work. This means so much more than not cheating, or flirting with your man’s bestie, or any other man for that matter. It means standing by each other, to nurture each other to pursue their passions and bring out the best in them.
The Tenth Commandment: Thou shall be realistic about expectations
Relationships are not all butterflies and rainbows all the time. We all carry our baggage and have our own quirks, so it makes a strong case for keeping realistic expectations. So, let go off your preconceived notions of how the perfect relationship should be and instead dip your toes in a little bit of unpredictability. Just go with the flow.
