There are so many things a relationship needs before it can blossom into something successful. There will be times when there is nothing you can do to save it, and you will be forced to let go. If you want to work at having something long term and worthwhile, you will have to make sure certain things are present. Just because you want something to work out, doesn't mean it will. These are some things you will need to have in order for your partnership to prosper, because without them, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Mutual respect
This is an absolute must in any type of relationship, romance or otherwise . If you don't respect someone, how can you love them? You need to believe they will make the right choices and be there to back them up if they don't. Their personality and the way they handle themselves should make you proud, not embarrassed. Also keep in mind that it usually needs to be earned, not just freely given. Make sure you are putting forth the same effort you expect in return. Without respect for a person, you cannot have any type of functional partnership.
Trust
If you don't have trust, you have nothing. At first, you will have to put your faith in him and give him the complete benefit of the doubt. This is hard to gain back once you lose it, and it often causes the entire relationship to fall apart. This has happened more times than I can count in my own experience. I had my heart broken twice in the ten years or so I have been in the dating field. Cheating and lying were both a part of it, and now I am not one that trusts easily. It has hindered some of my past involvements, but nothing that we could not get past.
Sexual chemistry
If you don't have an ongoing spark in your relationship, the romance will fizzle out. Sexual attraction is huge in order to keep things exciting. If you can't look at your partner and think he or she is sexy, you need to try and fix that. This is where a lot of things can go wrong. Cheating happens, hearts get broken, and nothing ever will be the same. If you don't have that attraction, move on. You will thank yourself later.
You are the only one who can decide what is important in a relationship for you. If these things are not present in any given situation, things will not work out in the long run. You can't just assume that because everything was good for a month it will be good for the next 25 years. Make sure you go with your gut, and don't settle for anything less than you deserve.
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