We may initially find someone through a connection, through a friend, through a site, or by chance, but, what happens after that? The beginning of your relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend may seem like something out of a fairytale, but the "honeymoon" stage doesn't last forever. Soon, there will be fights, arguments, disagreements and misunderstandings mixed in with wonderful memories. How are you going to work through those low moments in your relationship? There needs to be something stronger than puppy love to keep that relationship going.
The "honeymoon" stage is by far the best stage of any relationship. There is a fresh excitement with the new relationship full of never-ending kissy face emojis, presents, and late-night phone conversations. In this stage, there is nothing you don't like about one another. You think everything they do is cute and you are head over heels for one another. All of that is great, but those simple things will not feed a long lasting relationship.
My boyfriend said the other day to me, "Liv, teamwork makes the dream work." I thought that was a clever analogy when it came to thinking about romantic relationships or any for that matter. If you are a member of a team you are constantly thinking about the other members of your team and being successful as a corporate body. Being a successful team involves selflessness, sacrifice, and perseverance. For the team to be successful, every member has to give the team their everything and place their teammates above themselves. The same goes for a relationship.
In relationships, you must place your significant other above yourself, but still maintain a healthy balance to do what is best for yourself. You cannot love someone fully if you do not take care of yourself. Hearing their desires, their wants, and their fears allows you to experience your significant other more deeply and love them in a way that is more intimate than superficial puppy love.
Those things that you experience during the "honeymoon" stage should never disappear from your relationship, but they should never be the focus either. It doesn't mean that you should stop getting her flowers or stop making him his favorite dinner or any cute thing like that, but, those spontaneous, adorable things will not get you through a fight.
There must be something stronger and deeper about your relationship that allows you two to persevere through those hardships. Learn more about each other. What are your fears, your aspirations, your beliefs, and your desire not only in life, but for one another in life as team.
Teamwork makes the dream work when the teammates are invested in the team and its success.
Sheetal Tadiparty
Flickr Creative Commons
