Sustaining a Long Term Relationship: Why Do Some Relationships Work While Others Fail

Love, Life and Lies

Special guest Tim Roberts joins Kevin Evans to discuss the secrets of making a long term relationship work. Tim has been married for 40 years, has five children and eight grandkids. Kevin got divorced after a 23 year marriage and is now dating again.
There is no such thing as a perfect relationship. It's a fallacy and takes effort, commitment and determination by both parties to make it work.
There are three stages in a relationship: Honeymoon Phase; Family Phase; Empty Nester Phase. Most are prepared for the first two, but don't prepare for the third.
To have a successful relationship, a couple needs to focus on making it work and avoiding pitfalls.
Secrets of a successful relationship include:

• Communication: Listen and practice empathy
• Honesty. Your partner is your confidant
• Praise in public, Criticize in private
• Trust. Respect boundaries
• Fight fair. Don't name call or rehash past infractions
• Don't go to bed angry
• Grow as a person and couple, don't CHANGE. There is a difference
• Compromise and balance
• Intimacy is critical, both physical and emotional
• Keep romance alive. Water and fertilize the relationship
• Don't compare the relationship or your partner to others
• Support