Relationships aren’t just about growing together; they’re also about growing as individuals. A great boyfriend recognizes this and invests time and energy in his personal growth. This could mean honing a skill, pursuing a passion, setting and achieving personal goals, or working on personal flaws. When she sees you as her partner in crime, her teammate in life, it takes your relationship to a new level of intimacy. 12. Always Be Respectful Love is not a one-time declaration; it thrives on consistent expressions of affection and appreciation. Make it a habit to express your love and gratitude to her every day. Say you are sorry, and own it. When an argument goes bad, just walk away. Then when you can own your part in the debacle, return and say you are sorry. Expect nothing in return. This kind of unconditional response to adversity is a sure sign to your loved one that your relationship is more than skin deep. Surprises for birthdays and other holidays are nice, but they're not really surprises. To really show your guy some love, do it on a typical Wednesday.

Life is a journey of growth and change, and relationships are no exception. Embrace this journey alongside your girlfriend, supporting each other’s personal development and evolving together as a couple. Spend time totally focused on your partner. Massage them until your fingers cramp up, listen and don’t talk, go with them on an errand they could do alone, write them a poem or love letter like you did when you were falling in love. Pray for them. Focusing on them will make the relationship stronger. Even though society sometimes gives us the impression that all menneed to be hard, emotionless, or “strong”; the real men out there let their guard down to the ones that mean the most to them. Real men talk about their feelings and emotions. There is nothing wrong with men articulating their feelings or emotions, especially to someonetheyspend a lot of time with. Once you have a deeper intimacy with your boyfriend, you know he is in it for the long haul. He shares his past, his fears, his wants, and his desires with you. When he talks about serious topics with you, he is not afraid to love or to tell you how he loves you. 4. Heaccepts all of you.Start a flirty conversation over text. For a sweet approach, send him a song or photo and let him know it reminded you of him. If you want to keep things fun and playful, share a hilarious meme or GIF that’ll make him smile. You can also text him a random compliment to make him feel special or ask an open-ended question about something he’s interested in. It creates a deeper emotional connection and paves the way for her to feel safe to express her vulnerabilities too. Be real, be you, be vulnerable. 10. Make Her Feel Special

Encourage her to pursue her passions, explore new interests, and step out of her comfort zone. When you are growing and changing together, you create a resilient relationship that can withstand the tests of time. 29. Practice Patience and Understanding Relationship Stability: Investing in your role as a boyfriend creates a solid foundation for a stable and long-lasting relationship. When you strive to be a better partner, you build trust and a shared vision for the future. Learn to know when something is wrong. The following are signs that your relationship is suffering: Shared interests are like glue for a relationship. They give you common ground, create fun memories, and bring you closer. Maybe it’s a love for the outdoors, a passion for a certain type of music, or an obsession with a particular TV show – find something that you both enjoy and make time to indulge in it together. 8. Give Her Space When She Needs ItThe truth is there is no such thing as perfect. So let’sframe this list as ‘ perfect for most’. We all want and desire that perfect match, the personwe know is the ‘one’ for us. We also know thelikes and desires in a partner look different for everyone, sothis list is created with the framework of what a healthy and loving relationship might look like. We often desire to be truly loved and accepted in our lives, especially when we are in a relationship.

Relationships 101: The 19 Non-Negotiables for a Solid Foundation in Your Love Relationship October 27, 2023 Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. Keep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers! Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections - they may also appear in recommendations and other places. This is an important aspect. This does not mean you haveto make-out with your boyfriend in every public place possible, but it does mean when you are out in public he enjoys holding your hand, or putting his arm around you and showing you affection. Affection is an important part of any relationship. The perfect boyfriend will outwardly show his love for you with affection. He will also tell you how amazing you look and how much he loves that dress on you. There is no criticism of the way you look, just complete adoration. 18. He respects you.Don't cheat on your boyfriend. The best way to guarantee that no one in your social circle will ever want to date you is to cheat on your boyfriend. Be loyal and keep your attention on him. To maintain a relationship, you should commit to the person and stop looking for the next best thing. If you'd rather be flirting and hanging out with someone else, then you need to break up with the guy you're dating. It isn't fair to either of you if you'd rather be somewhere else. Being a good boyfriend also means taking care of yourself. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Prioritize your physical and mental well-being. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that bring you joy so you can be your best self. 25. Keep the Spark Alive I wanted to share a few of the lessons we have learned on keeping a relationship growing, more often than not, the hard way. We’ve thrown things, we’ve yelled, we’ve wanted to quit, we’ve wallowed in the distance of anger, yet we’ve persevered and learned to grow a relationship that is as deep as it is wide. Surprise him. If your guy comes over and you've baked him an apple pie and gotten the UFC pay-per-view? You'll be pretty much the best partner ever. Find out what kinds of things your guy really likes and do them just because, whenever you can.