10 Relationship Goals to Create a Stronger Relationship

In my prior article, 7 Tips For Creating a Stronger Relationship With Relationship Goals, I introduced the concept of creating relationship goals.  This article is a continuation with suggestions for 10 relationship goals that can strengthen your relationship.

10 Relationship Goals to Create a Stronger Relationship

10 Relationship Goals to Create a Stronger Relationship

Although each couple will have their own priorities in terms of the goals that are important to their relationship, the following goals are essential to most successful long term relationships.

• Make Each Other a Priority: Life is often so hectic and stressful that couples often forget to make each other a priority, especially couples in long term relationships. Consistent love and attention are an important part of any successful long term relationship.

• Show Mutual Respect: You and your partner might not see eye-to-eye on everything, but showing each other mutual respect is essential.  When you treat each other respectfully--even when you disagree--you're both letting each other know that your relationship is solid enough to allow for differences.

• Be a Friend: Strengthen the bond of your relationship by doing things that you both enjoy together.  Whether it's taking a class, learning a new skill or hanging out and relaxing, being friends with each other is an important part of building your relationship.

• Create Emotional and Sexual Intimacy: It's not easy to allow time for emotional and sexual intimacy when circumstances become stressful and hectic. If you find that you're not spending as much time together as you each need and your emotional and sexual relationship has suffered, you might need to reassess your priorities (see my articles:    What's the Difference Between Emotional and Sexual Intimacy? and Relationships: Understanding Your Sex Script).

• Make an Effort to Understand Each Other: Setting relationship goals and negotiating these goals helps you and your partner to understand each other.  Understanding means really listening to each other and, as mentioned above, showing mutual respect.  You and your partner might agree on many goals, but you might also have different approaches for how to get there (see my articles: What Are the 5 Love Languages and What to Do If You and Your Partner Have Different Love Languages).

• Align Your Core Values and Beliefs: As you and your partner work on relationship goals, you both have an opportunity to understand each other's core values and beliefs.  You might not agree with all of your partner's values and beliefs, but you can respect them (see my article: Living Authentically Aligned With Your Values).

• Embrace Imperfection: Accept that both you and your partner are imperfect beings--just like everyone else.  Practice patience and tolerance with each other, and recognize that real life relationships are different from relationships in movies or on social media.  

• Be Nonjudgmental: To form an honest, trusting relationship, you and your partner need to feel emotionally safe, so along with embracing imperfection, don't talk down to your partner or be judgmental (see my article: Creating an Emotionally Safe Space For Each Other in Your Relationship).

• Improve Communication: One of the keys to a successful relationship is good communication.  Recognize that you and your partner grew up in different family environments and, most likely, you each learned your style of communication in those environments.  If you were lucky enough to see good communication modeled for you by your parents, you're more fortunate than many people.  If not, you'll need to learn to improve your communication skills.  When you communicate anger or hurt, speak from your own experience rather than criticizing your partner (see my article: Improve Communication in Your Relationship: Eliminate the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness and Stonewalling).

• Be Emotionally Supportive During Tough Times: It's easy to be in a relationship when things are going well, but when you're going through a rough patch, getting through it successfully means that you're each emotionally supportive of one another.  You're both pulling together and going in the same direction.

Getting Help in Therapy

If you're having problems overcoming challenges, you're not alone.  Help is available to you.

Rather than struggling on your own, seek assistance from a licensed mental health professional who can help you to develop the tools and skills you need to overcome your problems.

When you're free from the obstacles that are holding you back, you can lead a more fulfilling life.

About Me

I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT and Somatic Experiencing therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 or email me.