5 Tips How to Build a Long-Term and Mature Relationship
Building a relationship requires a lot of hard work. Such a connection requires even more dedication when it involves older people who have experienced the trials and tribulations of romance. However, we have come up with five helpful tips that will jumpstart your relationship so that it reaches that sweet spot of maturity a tad faster than it should. Consider the following when you want to start your relationship off on the right foot.
When Is Maturity in the Relationship Reached?
Before we get into the tips that will help accelerate your relationship to a place where it feels comfortable and prepped for the long term, we have to consider when maturity is reached in a relationship. Typically, it is not a certain stage but a frame of mind instead. Think about which relationship sounds better.
- Two teens fall in love and get engaged after knowing each other for a month.
- Two people in their 40s are still “dating” six months into the relationship and have had conversations about whether marriage is right for them.
While the first relationship is “further” along in terms of the benchmark that is marriage, the fact remains that the second relationship is more mature. These individuals consider the larger perspective of the relationship while also spending time to see if the partnership is moving in the right direction.
These things take time, but time is not the only way to tell if a long-term outcome is likely. With that being said, let’s take a look at the tips concerning how to build a mature relationship.
1. Dating should be more deliberate
First things first, you have to date deliberately if you are looking for a long-term relationship. If you survey the majority of your friends, you’ll find that a fraction of them met by accident. Some might be high school sweethearts, but the majority were introduced by mutual friends, worked together, had time to get to know the person, or used online dating. The latter choice is quickly becoming the best way to ensure you have a long-term relationship.
Why is that the case? When you meet mature singles online using a dating site, you get a massive collection of potential dates from which to choose. Once you identify those that meet the bare minimum expectations for you, the sites help you narrow down your choices by other important factors.
Race, religion, job, age, and location are all elements that contribute to the success of a relationship, and dating sites allow users to use their filters like a sieve until they find a few potentially perfect dates. Starting on a dating site puts your relationship way ahead of the curve because you already know what your partner has going on.
2. Set clear goals for your perfect relationship
Another important way that you can ensure your relationship works out is by setting goals and benchmarks that would help you reach your vision for a perfect relationship. This step will look different for every couple, but it could include things like:
- Living together for a few months before deciding on marriage;
- Taking a promotion at work to see how it affects your relationship;
- Proving you are dedicated to longevity by improving your health with your partner.
The goals you set are your own, but they should reflect the elements of a perfect relationship that you would consider “non-negotiable.”
- Express your feelings and desires
When you really want a relationship to work out and be special, you have to learn how to express yourself around your partner. Again, this can look different in every relationship, but you have to be willing to tell your partner what you want out of your connection.
Sometimes, relationships fall apart because one person is not capable of responding to their partner’s feelings or they feel uncomfortable expressing their desires to the person they’re dating. If you cannot tell your partner what you want from the relationship, then you are heading toward disaster.
How to Secure Your Intimate Life
4. Appreciate every moment spent together
All people, but especially older people, need to learn how to value every bit of time they get to spend with their significant other or romantic partner. Life can be very tumultuous in your later years, so it’s best to relax and enjoy the time you get with someone rather than fret and worry.
If you find yourself getting worked up over something that hardly matters, like a little jealousy over your partner staring at someone a little too long, try to quash the feelings of anger and just focus on the good stuff. There’s no time for anything else when life is so short.
5. No masks – Be Yourself
Lastly, you need to be yourself. You can’t pretend to be someone when you first start dating and then turn into a completely different person after a few months. The reasons for this are numerous. For starters, when you date someone as an older person, you don’t want to waste your time or theirs by pretending to be someone else just to get them to like you. Eventually, that mask will slip off, and the relationship will evaporate.
It is also not fair for you to get someone excited about being together with you, only to pull the rug out from beneath their feet and set them back. As older people seeking long-term relationships, you want to have as much time as possible to make sure you’re dating the right person. Don’t jeopardize your chances or your partner’s by not being true to yourself.
Building a long-term relationship is a lot of work, but we have given you five valuable tips that will give you the perspective required to start the process. You should start by seeking the right type of partners and then go from there, meeting new and interesting people who have the potential to be your next romantic interest. Anything is possible.
Just take action!