Five Basic Principles of a Successful Relationship

Every relationship be it marriage, friendship, or courtship thrives on some basic principles. The success of the relationship is based on these principles.

Let us take a look at them, one, after the other, in no particular order.

Communication

Communication, a vital ingredient for a successful relationship, is when a message is transferred from one person to the other, and the intended message is well understood by the recipient. It is not enough if a partner wants to send a message, and the exact opposite of the intended message gets to the recipient. Two people in a relationship who hardly communicate give room for speculations and assumptions, which are not healthy for the relationship. It is better to ask a question that seem "silly" and get the answer, and act accordingly, than to assume and get it wrong. In short, communication is the lifeline of every successful relationship.

Mutual Respect

The two people in the relationship need to feel respected, as well as their opinions. Respect for each other in a relationship helps the partners to feel a cherished part of the relationship, and not just an "object." Respect should be mutual and reciprocal, and that is what makes both parties in the relationship see the need to take it to the next level.

Trust and Honesty

These two are like the two sides of a balanced scale. When there is trust and honesty in a relationship, the partners can even defend each other in the face of an obscure or obvious negative situation. Trust is built over time, when we are able to prove that we can be honest about everything including the minute things, the trust gets stronger. My dear reader, the next time you are tempted to hide anything from your partner, remember you are putting your trust and honesty on the line, and that can affect your relationship in the long run.

Friendship

Two people in a relationship need to be friends, who can rely on the friendship, if every other thing should fail. A friend is someone you can play with, share all your highs and lows with, someone who knows you and accepts you, in spite of all your flaws and negatives. For a successful relationship, friendship is equally important. True friends fight, get mad at each other and at the end kiss and make up. No relationship is without fights and ups and downs, and only true friendship can still hold the pieces together against all the odds. So it is said, marry a friend.

Love

Love is the bottom line, and underlying element of every successful relationship. For the relationship to start, at least some aspects of love must come to play. With time this feeling grows into love and the more the love grows, the more beautiful the relationship gets. That is when the two can spend hours on the phone and, chat about everything and don't want to end the call or put the phone down. Or one can stare at the picture of the other for hours, and feel no need for food, because the heart is so delighted at the picture and nothing matters. Love grows and develops with time, as the two gets to spend more time with each other. A love that is pure and true holds no grudges, keeps no record of wrong, does not envy, is not selfish, has no place for impatience, and believes all things are beautiful. Let us nurture every relationship with a love that is real and pure, and these relationships will reward us with joy and inner peace all the time. Love is such a beautiful thing, and definitely makes the world go round. When both partners in the relationship love each other genuinely, they sure will have a successful relationship that will affect others and cause them to do same.

With these principles, our relationships will be success stories to share.