Originally, this article was supposed to be all about my boyfriend and my relationship to celebrate my anniversary. Which is a very sweet idea and could have been a great anniversary gift. But, upon further investigation, a little soul searching, and an Instagram poll, I trashed that idea. Now before you try and investigate further into what I know you're thinking, no we did not break up. I am still very much invested in my relationship and despite a few bumps, I love my boyfriend wholeheartedly.

Now, that being said, things aren't perfect and they won't ever be, which is totally fine. Nothing in life is perfect. But I didn't want to write an article about how perfect it is and lie to everyone. Also, let's be honest, you wouldn't want to read an article about two people you barely even know and how in love they are. So instead, this article is going to be about what I've learned in the past year of my relationship and hopefully through some of the things I've learned, you can learn a thing or two as well.

1. Stop with the comparisons.

There is a reason you are no longer with your former significant other for a reason. Stop comparing your new one to your old one because it will drive you both insane. But also, remember not to compare yourself to your significant other's ex. It will only drive you crazy. This is an issue that we've had frequently and all it does is lead to feeling insecure.

2. Trust is so important.

I have the worst time trusting people. I have been lied to more often than I would like to admit and it keeps me from believing that decent human beings actually exist. Without trust it's hard to have a real relationship.

3. Without communication you don't have a relationship.

Communication is key. I'll say it louder for the people in the back, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. The quickest way to kill your relationship is the lack of communication. How are you ever supposed to get anything accomplished unless you talk about it?

4. You don't have to have common interests in order to get along.

I am pretty sure I initially had literally nothing in common with my boyfriend. However, we were able to use our differences to expose each other to new things and find enjoyment in them and build common interests. It's been fun learning together.

5. You can not forget to love yourself first.

Please, please, please take it from me. You can not forget this. Loving yourself is the most important item on this list. I invested every second of the last year solely into my boyfriend and making sure he was okay. By doing that I lost sight of myself and who I needed to be. I forgot to take care of myself and it started to effect everyone else around me.

6. Needing space is okay.

There is only so much time in the day and it is okay if you want to use a large chunk of it to just do you. Needing space isn't a bad thing and it doesn't necessarily mean the end of your relationship. It just means that you need a minute to breath and do your own thing.

7. Work through the issues until they're actually resolved.

Leaving issues unresolved only leaves room for error. Things will only build further and further until one day you have a minor argument about where he left his shoes and next thing you know you're screaming about why he doesn't love you anymore. Just be adults, sit down, talk about your issues, and move on.

8. Immaturity is a relationship killer.

When you get mad you can't throw a tantrum and stomp off. I would know. I've done this and it doesn't end well. When you get mildly inconvenienced you can't threaten a break up. That's the adult equivalent of "You pushed me and I don't wanna be your friend no more!" Knock that mess off.

9. You should never stop learning more about your partner.

The moment you stop trying to learn about them is the moment you've begun to lose interest. People grow and change all of the time. There will never be a point in which you can say "I know everything there is to know about them." Continue to ask questions and observe them. Watching them grow and change can be wonderful if you actually try.

10. Just because you're getting older does not mean you can't have fun

Go on fun dates and outings. Have a dumb pillow fight, build a fort, go to Sky Zone and jump around until you get sick. It's okay to bring out the kid in each other every once in a while and have unbridled fun together.

11. Let them know you care.

It is important to make sure your significant other knows that you care for them. Bring them their favorite candy every once in a while, send them a random text to let them know you're thinking of them, maybe talk to them about something they think is important. Just let them know you care about them with simple actions.

12. Don't forget to be yourself.

They fell in love with you for a reason. Just be yourself. Having to worry about changing who you are to fit them will only stress you out and cause strain on the relationship. Who you are shouldn't bother them anyway.