Why do some relationships last only months while others last years or decades? Staying in love for the long haul has much to do with your personality, but it’s really about how you treat one another. How do some folks make it for eternity while others barely get a start before calling it quits?
Everyone knows that maintaining a marriage while being a celebrity is a challenge. In fact, it’s quite common for people to switch partners many times, as the grueling schedules and wealth take its toll. One of the long-time married couples in Hollywood was Jerry Stiller and Anna Meara.
At the time of her death in 2015, the couple had been together for over 61 years, according to Just Riches. They acted on sitcoms and had a life in the spotlight for many years, including bringing their two children, Amy and Ben, into the mix. When asked about the key to making their marriage work, they both agreed that it was Meara’s kind nature and that she was very forgiving.
Another thing in their favor was that the couple never cared about money. They didn’t fight about spending and would have traded all the wealth away if it meant they could stay in love forever. The same article mentions James Garner and Louis Clarke and their marriage of over 59 years.
All it took for Garner and Clarke was one date to know that their relationship was kismet. If Hollywood couples can make it this long with all the stressors of show business, how much easier it must be for a couple who doesn’t have these pressures to thrive?
Fifteen Signs A Couple Will Stay in Love Forever
Maybe the person you’re with is the one for you, or maybe someone else out there would be a better match. Staying in love is more about choice and commitment above all else. Here are some signs that your relationship has a chance of being forever.
1. Spending Time Together is Important for a Couple to Stay in Love
It doesn’t matter how busy you are or what time constraints exist; you will find time to be together. Even if it’s eating dinner at 2 am because of work schedules, you do whatever’s possible to spend time with them as they hold a high ranking in your heart and life. You can’t imagine not dating them or having that particular time to connect at some point during the day or week.
2. Conversations are Good
There’s never a moment of silence, as you find pleasure in talking about anything and everything. You could sit and listen to their voice for hours, and just being together and sharing new stories and discovering things is perfect for you. You know everything that is going on in their work life, and they know all about yours, as you two don’t keep any secrets.
3. They are the First Person You Want to Run To When You Have Troubles
Sometimes the world is cruel, and you want to run and hide. Your partner is the first person you want to run to with your troubles, as you trust them. They’re affectionate and will wrap their arms around you in support. With them, the problems seem to melt away in their embrace.
4. You Text or Call Each Other Several Times a Day
Whenever you get a break at work or have a free moment, you check in with your partner. You want to make sure they’re having a good day, and if you’re having a bad day, it’s even more reason to text. Even though you are far apart, you’re still very much connected.
5. You Have Each Other’s Backs
You know that no one will talk badly about you or do anything to hurt you, at least while your partner is around. They have your back better than a bodyguard, and you feel safe knowing they’re watching out for you. No one protects you better than them, and they make the world seem better when they’re by your side.
6. You Care About One Another
You put their needs and desires above yours, as you care much about them. When you think about the next car you buy, you’re concerned about safety ratings and ensuring they’re safe on the roads. Your love for them is limitless, and you both go above and beyond to care for one another.
7. While Others Might See You Have Flaws, They See Them as Strengths
You know that your partner loves you because they see your flaws and view them as strengths. While others might say you’re overbearing and sometimes loud, they see it as the very reason you’re so successful in business. They look at you through the eyes of love as even your imperfections seem valuable.
8. You Only Use Nicknames
You use nicknames once you hit a certain comfort level with one another. These “pet names” confirm that you get each other on a deeper level. Using pet names often shows that your relationship is strong. It’s a way of showing affection and projecting tenderness that is a particular term of endearment.
9. You Can’t Imagine Life Without Them, So It’s a Priority to Stay in Love
You’re lost without them if they get called out of town on business or other matters. Your connection is so strong that you go together like a hand and glove, and it feels odd and likes something is missing when they’re gone.
10. You Can Read Each Other’s Thoughts
The two of you have a system with one another. You can stay in love because you can read each other’s minds without speaking. You’ve honed this skill well because you use it all the time. Even in a crowded room, you can glance across to see them and know exactly what they’re thinking.
Psychologists call this superior empathic accuracy, and it comes from familiarity. According to the article, couples who have this ability have stronger closeness and have more satisfying relationships.
11. They Pick You Up, Not Tear You Down
It takes a solid person to shoulder both their burdens and yours, but your partner seems to have mastered it. They’re honest with you when you’ve done wrong, but they would never tear you down. They offer constructive criticism to make you a better person, and you take their advice to heart.
12. They Are Your Biggest Fan and Loudest Cheerleader
They’re the first to praise you when you do something unique, like graduate from college or get a new job. They will take you to dinner or a surprise party to celebrate with you. They have your back more than you know and knowing they’re always there cheering you on from the sidelines is what brings you comfort.
13. You’re Both Eager to Forgive if You Hope to Stay in Love
A relationship takes two people who forgive easily to work. They state that holding grudges wastes time and only develops further hurts.
The couples that learn to forgive each other when they do wrong are the ones that will stay in love forever. Rather than harboring ill feelings, their communication will let them work through it.
14. A Couple Striving to Stay in Love Will Listen More Than Speak
Your communication is excellent, but you must listen more than you speak. Nothing else matters when your partner speaks, including your opinion. You take the time and chance to talk about what’s going on in their life and mind, as it increases your bond.
15. They Are Your Person
The term “My person” came from the relationship between Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Cristina Yang on the tv show Gray’s Anatomy. These two became close friends as residents at one of the biggest hospitals in the country. They only became closer through all the tests and tribulations they went through.
They called one another “my person ” when they discussed their relationship.” This term of endearment describes someone who has an unbreakable bond with you. This individual gets you on a level that no one else ever has before or might. They’re honest with you, even when you’re wrong, and they’re the ones you want by your side.
Final Thoughts on Couples Who Stay in Love Forever
It’s commonplace for people to question whether or not the person they’re with is their “ride or die.” You want to ensure you don’t waste time on the wrong person when the right one is waiting for you. While no test can definitively tell you they’re “the one,” you can look for the synchronicities and other details.
If you want to stay in love for the long haul, you want someone affectionate, your biggest cheerleader, who puts your needs above theirs. They get you on a level that no one else does, so much so that you can even read their mind without them saying a word. While each relationship looks different, the communication and how you care about one another will be the same across the board.
