7 Secrets for a Happier and Stronger Relationship

1. Prioritize time together. Happy couples make time to be together. Take 10 minutes out of your day every day and talk with your partner. This is not the time to try and solve your issues or the world's problems - just take these few minutes as an opportunity to catch up on each other's lives.


2. Understand what makes your partner tick. Be tuned into what makes your partner happy and perhaps, just as importantly, what makes them angry. Know each other's "hot buttons" and avoid them. Talk candidly to one another and be honest with your feelings.


3. Secret Couple Language: Create a secret look or non-verbal signal that means something special only to the two of you. It could be something subtle to let your partner know that you want to leave somewhere without hurting people's feelings or possibly even escape to the bedroom for some intimate time. These secret signals will strengthen your emotional bond and bring you closer together.


4. Have Sex - No excuses! Couples in the strongest relationships have sex on a regular basis. A healthy sex life brings you and your partner closer together. So, as Nike says: just do it!


5. Know how to transition from problems to passion! Happy couples will find ways to get out of the groove of their serious day to day life and get back into playful mode. Something as simple as swatting your partner's butt as they cook dinner or snuggling up next to them while they finish up some work could make a huge difference. It's fun to have silly moments that break your partner out of their hectic lives and bring you closer together and bring the fun back into your relationship. Let go of the serious grind of life and be playful - just because...


6. Be Grateful. Take pleasure in the simple things in life and be grateful for each other. Remember those everyday tasks your partner gets done, but you don't always thank them for it? Thank them! Let them know you appreciate every little thing they do for you. Maybe making dinner every night or walking the dog every morning - whatever it may be - tell your partner how much you appreciate those mundane little tasks. It will serve as a reminder to them just how important they are to you - and how much you care. (No one wants to be taken for granted!)


7. Have a Sense of Humor & LAUGH!! This is perhaps the most important tip on this list. No matter what life throws your way, couples should always remember to laugh together. Being able to take things lightly and shrug off the small stuff will make those big issues that much easier to deal with. Live, laugh, and love.

By Dr. Patty Ann Tublin