I mean, I may not be a bastion of experience. I’ve only dated one guy for about two years.

But I’ve still got some advice that I’d like to give to people who are just starting a journey of their own.

Love is a wonderful thing, and if you’re willing to work through the tough spots, you can find yourself a relationship that can withstand anything.

1. After the first few weeks, keep going.

You'll undoubtedly get butterflies when you first start going out with someone special. It's really a wonderful feeling. But in a lot of cases, these "butterflies" don't last long. In my case, it only took a few weeks - then it comes and goes. You start to get used to your partner.

My advice is, don’t give up then. If you want your relationship to last, you’ll have to find more to the person than just the butterflies. I got this advice too, but I want to pass it on, because it’s very true. If you find that you can last after the first few weeks, you’re already on the right track.

2. Valentine's is overrated.

You may feel extra pressure around Valentine's Day or Christmas to get your partner something extra-special, but in reality, if your relationship hinges on whatever you do for your partner on one of those days, you've got a bigger problem. The truth is, you shouldn't need one or two days out of the year to have an excuse to do something nice for your partner.

3. If you start to find problems in the relationship, talk about it.

It doesn’t do either of you any good to sweep problems under the rug or just argue pointlessly about things. Instead, make sure to set aside time to talk about what’s going wrong. Look for solutions together; don’t cause more problems by acting irrationally. Communication is key; anyone in a successful relationship can tell you that.

4. Listen to other people's advice, but don't follow it.

In other words, you know your relationship the best. People may try to give you advice from the outside, but even if its someone you trust, like your parents, you need to realize that no one knows what you’re getting into better than you and your partner. You should still listen to their advice, but talk about it with your partner and go with your gut first. Don’t let other people influence your relationship—take their advice, but you’ll ultimately need to make the decisions between you and your partner.

5. Don't become too dependent on each other.

It can be easy to just get used to being with another person, but there will inevitably be times where the two of you will have to be apart. In order to prepare for this, it’s important that you find a life outside of your partner. It will make the separations easier. And it will ultimately make the relationship better and more interesting – if you do everything together, what will you have to talk about?

6. Appreciate the things about your partner that annoy you.

Let’s face it, there’s no such thing as the perfect person. I’m sure you’ve got some annoying qualities, too. But if you learn to appreciate your differences – even the things that might annoy you – chances are, you’ll get along much easier. Do the things that they love, even if they're not your normal cup of tea. Try to be understanding of their habits that might drive you crazy. Maybe they have a completely different sense of organization than you do. No, it's not a bad thing - just work it out together, and learn to appreciate the things that make them who they are.

7. Don't go into this thinking that your partner is better than you.

Your partner is not a god. They are not perfect, no matter how perfect they may seem. And, most importantly, you are not less talented, less beautiful, or less of a person than they are. It can be easy to go on about how much better they are than you. Maybe you’ll think that this makes them feel better - but it doesn’t. Not at all. It actually makes it harder to get along, because you’re putting them up on a pedestal that they don’t want to be on, refusing to let them appreciate you and all of your talents and accomplishments.

Your relationship is not an opportunity for you to be self-deprecating, or to find an idol to worship. Your relationship is an opportunity for you to become a better person, and to help build up another person as well. You’re both supposed to support each other, so let them support you. Don’t deny them that opportunity.

There’s much more, but from my experience, these were the most important things. If you’re just starting a new relationship, then I wish you the best of luck! You’ve got this. Let love get you through the hard times, and appreciate the good times while they last.

Because love is a wonderful thing.