What Happy Couples Do

I came across an older post about 10 habits characteristic of happy couples — things they do. I thought it was worth freely translating and sharing here as well. Source: Psychology Today. I haven’t translated word for word, but close to the original text. [caption id=“attachment_375” align=“alignleft” width=“300”] A happy couple[/caption] What does happy cohabitation look like? What are the things that two people who are happy with each other do — together? Perhaps you can introduce some of these habits into your own relationship and make it happier!

1. Going to bed at the same time Remember how at the very beginning of a relationship you would wait for each other to get into bed and make love? Even later — happy couples wait for each other and go to bed at the same time. Perhaps one of them gets up later to do what was left undone — while the other sleeps. But sleeping side by side, sleeping together still speaks volumes.

2. Shared interests After the initial passion — the interest in each other — has subsided, it sometimes turns out that there aren’t that many shared interests. Still, it’s important to maintain what you enjoy doing together. If there aren’t too many such things, happy couples find them, create them. At the same time, it’s also important for each person to pursue their own interests, thereby remaining interesting to the other and not becoming overly dependent.

3. Walking hand in hand or side by side People who live in a happy couple don’t rush ahead of each other or drag behind. They both know that being together with the other is more important than what can be seen along the way or what awaits at the end of the road.

4. The foundation is trust and forgiveness Even when there are arguments or disagreements that cannot be resolved immediately, happy couples base their attitude toward each other on trust and forgiveness, rather than suspicion and resentment.

5. Focus on what the other does right, not wrong If we look for flaws in another person, we can always find them. Likewise — you can always find something the other person does well and right. So everything depends on what we’re looking for, not what is. Happy people look at the good things.

6. Embrace each other when meeting Our skin, our body has memory. We remember touches — good ones (embraces), bad ones (violence), or the absence of touch (neglect). Happy people in good relationships embrace each other when they meet — thus reinforcing and multiplying good bodily memories.

7. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” every day These words that happy people say to each other are like a dose of positive charge that helps get through all the difficulties, complications, and tensions of the day.

8. Wish each other good night every evening — no matter how you feel. These words — a wish — send a message to the other person that, no matter how you feel about the relationship, you are looking forward, toward the future, and wish the other well — at least a good night. It serves as a reminder that the relationship you have is something more than any single argument or disagreement.

9. Stay in touch during the day Simply to find out how the other is doing. To stay connected with what’s happening while you’re apart — to be ready to meet in the evening. For example, if the other has had a hard day, knowing that, I won’t expect them to wholeheartedly rejoice in my achievements and successes.

10. Feel proud when others see you with your partner Happy people are glad even when others see them together. They are happy to show their relationship to others — including being in physical contact — hand in hand, or embracing. This isn’t showing off. It simply is how they both feel.

Happy couples have their own habits that differ from the habits of not-so-happy couples. Habits are our automatic reactions to certain situations. To form a habit, you need to repeat an action several times — until it happens automatically. These habits on this list too — if they haven’t been established yet, it’s worth considering — perhaps it’s worth introducing some of them?