12 Things You Have To Tell Your Partner To Have A Happy Relationship

by Aishani Laha · July 20, 2015

Being in a relationship is probably one of the best feelings ever. However, along with all the mushy, lovey-dovey bits, you also have to come to terms with the fact that a relationship is a serious matter. During the initial stages, you might try to be someone your partner might like in order to impress them. But as the relationship progresses, you have to make sure that you get rid of the façade and reveal to them the truth about certain things, in order to enjoy a genuinely happy relationship. This is a reciprocal process and your partner should be encouraged to do the same as well.

Quality communication is a prerequisite for any fulfilling relationship, so make sure you foster complete transparency right from the start. You should know every tiny detail about your better half, no matter how unpleasant, to get a full idea of how compatible you are with each other. More importantly, honesty, trust, and faith make up the foundations of all healthy and happy relationships.

Suggested read: Are YOU your relationship’s worst enemy?

With this in mind, here are 12 essential things you and your partner should discuss sooner or later:

1. Your commitment to each other

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Your relationship is a vital part of your life, if not the most important (at some point). If you are aiming for a happy relationship, and a long-term, fulfilling one at that, the two of you have to clearly communicate how much you are willing to give each other in the relationship that you share, and what you expect in return. This does not only include physical division of labor, but also emotional support.

2. Reasons why you love them

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Ask yourself why you love them, and make sure that they know it too. You don’t need to be a poet to express what you really feel about them. In fact, when you are in a confessional mood, being straightforward without any embellishments is probably your safest bet, because then the person on the receiving end will understand the depth and honesty of your feelings. The very reason this is clichéd is because people have understood its importance and put that knowledge into effect.

3. Your faith and beliefs

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You might be a religious individual, or completely dismissive of religion. No matter what persuasion you are associated with, you have to be clear about it with your partner. After all, your faith is a very personal thing, and has substantial influences on how you conduct your life and relationships. If you belong to different faiths, then you have to come to mutual understanding about how this would not affect your relationship with each other. Otherwise, if you don’t make this clear, it might lead to substantial arguments and later hinder you from having a fulfilling and happy relationship.

4. Your fears

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This does not only imply incidental fears, like spiders or heights, but more importantly the deep-rooted, intimate fears that you confront on a daily basis. If you are aiming for a happy relationship with your partner, it is important to let them in on what frightens you, be it common phobias or other emotional dilemmas such as the fear of failure or loneliness. You might be reluctant to do this initially fearing that your partner might think you weak, but that is almost never the case. Letting them in on your vulnerabilities only brings you closer together; they can help you overcome your fears, or at least be there by your side when you are taking them on.

5. Your weaknesses and bad habits

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As you slowly progress in your relationship, you have to show your better half your real side, flaws and weaknesses included. If your friends have previously told you about a bad habit you have, make sure that you disclose that information to your partner, instead of giving them an unpleasant surprise when they eventually find out for themselves. If you have a quick temper, or tend to be lazy, or are way too trusting, make sure that they know about it from you in advance.

6. Your sex drive

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You might be surprised to know that most marriages end because of two main reasons – one is infidelity, and the other is dissatisfaction from bad sex. If you are well on the way to establish a long and happy relationship with your partner, then sex might have become a common and comfortable topic of conversation. Make sure that they know how you feel about sex, and what you like and don’t like when it comes to humans’ most primal act. This is a stage when all pretenses should dissolve, and candid discussions are necessary to ensure that both of you are satisfied in bed.

7. How seriously you take your work

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One of the most important things in life is your career and your ambitions. When you have decided to be in a serious relationship, it is important to let your partner know how seriously you take your work as well. Establishing a balance between your professional life and personal life is quintessential if you strive to have an intimate and fulfilling relationship. Your partner should know the nature of your profession and its challenges if they were to spend their future with you.

8. Your current financial condition

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No matter how unromantic it sounds, money plays an important role in your life. Whether you are in debt, or trying to save up money for a large investment later on, or having trouble bridging the gap between your income and expenditure, let your partner in on this secret. One of the quintessential steps to taking your relationship further and actually forming a deep connection with your partner is by being honest and straightforward about your monetary status, since it involves future decisions that the two of you may want to make down the road. This way, you can find ways to face and handle the problems together.

9. Your health

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As boring as it may sound, your health is one of the most important aspects of yourself that your partner must know about when you are ready to take your relationship to the next level. If you have an acute health problem, or even a genetic disease that has not yet manifested itself, it is time to let your partner in on that secret. They will probably not leave you if they find out that you have a fatal disease or problem, but in all honesty, not telling them will be unfair on your part.

10. Your feelings about children

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Although it might be too early to think of marriage and children, it is still important for your partner to be on the same page on how you feel towards them. After all, if you are really serious about your relationship, you will have to figure out marriage and children at some point. You might feel like you were born to be a mum, or that you like children but they aren’t really that important in your life, or you might not like kids at all. Whatever you might feel about them, you have to make sure your partner is at least clued in, so that they know what they are in for.

11. How you feel about travel and long-distance relationships

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Very few couples are able to handle the challenges that come with long distance relationships. Not being able to see each other as and when you please is a serious handicap that can very well lead to heartbreak. However, you might have to travel because of your job, your education, your family, and the like. Sometimes, these shifts may be permanent. You have to discuss with your partner whether you are comfortable with moving to a different city if and when the time comes, or whether you would be able to handle a long distance relationship. This can save you from a lot of conflict and heartache in the future.

12. Your life priorities

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If you are dreaming of a happy relationship with your partner, you have to make sure that you let them know where your priorities lie, so that in times of crisis, they don’t feel left out or betrayed. It is perfectly normal if they are not number one on your priority list at this point, as long as they know. It is essential that they understand that for you, your job, your family, or your alone time takes precedence over your relationship with them.

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Summary