As you may already know, there’s no such thing as the perfect relationship. Couples always encounter ups and downs, and this is not necessarily something bad. Two persons can’t get along unless they fight every now and then. It is part of human nature to have opposing views and to share your opinion with the world, no matter what consequence may arise from that situation. Strong couples rely on open communication and mutual trust. A relationship that lacks any of these essential elements may not survive over the years. 

Even so, relationships are not all about traveling the world all the time, visiting expensive places, and seeming happy on social media channels. In the online environment, the relationship goals that are usually promoted have nothing to do with having a healthy couple life after all. Instead, couples should strive for going through certain phases successfully. Not many couples manage to go through different stages of the relationship because they are not prepared for them in the first place. They assume that everything is as sweet as milk and honey. Sadly, the romance you see in movies is not what you should expect from reality. As a substitute, focus on what truly matters in a couple. Here are some true relationship goals that couples ought to achieve:  

The first stage of a relationship is always the most pleasant. You don’t know each other very well, you are attracted to each other physically, you try new things together and so on. This is the stage when you feel butterflies in your bellies and your skin gets goosebumps because how good everything feels. Every couple goes through this stage and there’s nothing you can do to ruin it. This is also called the honeymoon phase because all things happen effortlessly and develop beautifully. Don’t get too sucked into it, though. 

Even though the situation might seem perfect, the honeymoon phase can easily make you infatuated with how thrilling the relationship is in the beginning, making you overlook your true feelings for the person beside you. Early infatuation can be damaging for your own feelings, once you realize that you were in love with the idea of a relationship, not with the person that sits in front of you. Enjoy the honeymoon phase, but make sure that you acknowledge your real feelings towards your significant other too. 

When the honeymoon phase is over and you start getting to know each other a little bit better, the relationship can drastically change. It’s normal to have different views, but if these views are totally opposite from what your significant other believes, problems may appear in paradise. Accepting each other’s opinions and interests is part of being in a relationship, but the truth is that you can’t stomp on your own value system just to accept the other’s. 

If your interests and your loved one’s interest don’t seem to align in any way, it’s probably time to follow different paths. Even though the honeymoon phase made you believe that the relationship is going as it should, when a visible imbalance between your goals and your partner’s goals makes itself felt, it might come to an end. Don’t get disappointed, though. Relationships involve successes and failures, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that one of you did something wrong. It’s just the way love works – some people match, others don’t. 

One of the biggest relationship goals that should be on the list of all couples is learning how to communicate with each other. Talking openly about what you wish is a condition of becoming closer and establishing a connection that not all couples have. You should be able to talk to your loved one about anything that goes through your head, without feeling judged or uncomfortable in any way. You need to bring topics into discussion even though they might not be easy to talk about in the first place. After you will get accustomed to talking openly, the relationship will visibly progress. 

Consider talking about how sexually satisfied you are. After a while, physical attraction is not as strong anymore and passion slowly starts to burn out. This is the moment when you should be open to new practices and uncommon ideas. If you want to bring adult toys into the bedroom or talk more about the fantasies you have, don’t hesitate. After a while, you will get so comfortable in your relationship that no topic will seem odd to discuss. Simply talk about what would make you happy or what could improve the relationship. 

There is a certain moment in relationships that mark it for good. After you’ve committed to each other, the only thing that’s left is to build an unbreakable bond. This bond is not of physical attraction or even mental attraction. It is about cultivating a spiritual relationship. Having a soulful connection with the one that is beside you is the best thing you can obtain in a couple. Your search for the other person is never-ending and it includes so many challenges that you will have to overcome together. A strong bond is required to make progress possible.

Make a relationship goal out of exploring your partner’s beliefs and sharing yours. Get to know what traits each one of you has and analyze these traits on a deeper level. Plan activities that act as spiritual rituals for getting to know yourselves better together. Learn how to spend time with your loved one and remind one another why were you in love in the first place. Share your positive energy with your significant other and tune in with his or her emotions. As time goes by, all that you will have left is how you feel next to the person you love.