How to Keep Your Relationship Happy with Small, Meaningful Gestures

Every relationship has times when things aren't so happy. The good news is that's fixable. The better news is that you can do it without spending a lot of time or money. Small gestures can be just as meaningful as extravagant ones.

Keep Your Relationship Happy: Step One

The first step you can take to keep your relationship happy is to stop taking your partner for granted. Think back to the beginning of your relationship. Chances are you were both happy. You were enjoying each other, and enjoying doing things for each other.

Most likely not all of the things you did when you were starting your relationship were over-the-top. Small gestures probably meant a lot to both you and your partner. Signs that you care are what made got your relationship started in the first place - and you were both pretty happy then, right?

Keep Your Relationship Happy: Step Two

Okay, so you remember how happy the beginning of your relationship was. If you really want to keep your relationship happy, now is the time to break the "why should I?" cycle.

It's really easy to get stuck in the "why should I?" relationship cycle. In fact, it's so easy that I can't name anyone I know that I haven't seen in this cycle. The problem is that this doesn't make for a happy relationship.

Even if you know that you aren't doing all that you can to keep your relationship happy, you can justify it. Your partner's behavior is probably different from the way it was in the beginning, too. Why should you have to be the one to change? Why should you make more of an effort than your partner is (or seems to be) making?

Why should you? Taking the initiative, making the first motion, and breaking the cycle isn't a bad thing or a sign of weakness. Actually, if you want a happy relationship, it's a good thing. It's a sign of caring and love.

Besides, thinking that you shouldn't have to be the first to make an effort isn't getting your relationship anywhere. Your partner may very well be using the same justification. The bottom line, "why should you", is that this is a negative relationship cycle. If you want a happy relationship, you should break this negative cycle - and it will probably be easier than you think!

Keep Your Relationship Happy: Step Three

So, are your ready to work on your happy relationship? Do you think it's time to try out some of those small, simple gestures that are oh-so-meaningful?

You probably already know most of the tricks to help keep your relationship happy. Extending to your partner the simple courtesy that you extend to others in your life really helps - and it isn't always remembered.

Simple courtesy is the easiest way to keep your relationship happy, and it should be practiced by both partners. It is the little reminders that you are aware of your partner, and that you care.

Do what you say you will do. Call if you know you will be late. Hold the door for your partner. Offer to pick up something at the store on your way home. If you are leaving first, wipe the snow from your partner's windshield, or offer to start their car to warm up.

These simple courtesies that we extend everyday should always be extended to our partner. They can be easy to forget, since we know that our partner will understand. Remembering them will help keep your relationship happy. Your partner will be happy to see that you are thinking of them.

Keep Your Relationship Happy: Step 4

We all know someone who is just so charming; they always know the perfectly thoughtful thing to do. You can do that, too. Paying attention to the details can help you pick up on how your partner feels. Using those details can help keep your relationship happy.

For example, you probably have heard your partner say that something is their least-favorite chore. Your partner has probably also mentioned their favorite meal, or a treat they enjoy. Small details such as these can be very useful in keeping your relationship happy.

Noting the details helps you learn about the likes and dislikes of your partner. This is a sort of positive ammunition. You can use these details to keep your relationship happy.

The first way to use these details to keep your relationship happy is to cheer up your partner. If your partner has had a bad day, make them their favorite meal or do a chore that is usually "theirs" that you know they don't like. This shows your partner two things: first, that you know them well enough to know how to cheer them up, and second, that you care enough to notice when they are unhappy and to want to fix it.

A great way to keep your relationship happy is to use these little details at unexpected times. You don't have to order a dozen roses or the new muffler your partner has been drooling over to randomly cheer up your partner with a surprise. Even small gestures, like picking up a new magazine that you think they'll like, make a difference. When there is no reason, these gestures mean even more.

It isn't as hard as you may think to keep your relationship happy. It's all in the details, and the small gestures. Show your partner that you think of them, and that they matter to you, and you can expect to see a happy relationship.