Relationships are no easy feat, but the people that get it, get it.

If you’ve struggled keeping one afloat in the long term, here are some tips successful couples have sworn by.

Check ‘em out!

#1 Family boundaries

Put your relationship first, and not what your family wants for your relationship first. Don’t make decisions about your relationship with your family, you’re dating your partner, not your family.

#2 Be friends

He/she/they do not need to be your best friend or your whole world. That isn’t necessarily healthy, but the two of you should like each other enough to be friends. Don’t just be in love with the person, like the person.

#3 Choose to stay

During the rough days and hard parts, choose to stay. When you’re at crossroads, do not walk away and work through it.

#4 Space to be yourselves

Never forget all the reasons you fell in love with that person in the first place. Give each other room to be yourselves and also to grow when its needed.

#5 Have difficult conversations 

Communicate, don’t tolerate. Speak things out, instead of avoiding any one topic, or denying your emotions. A healthy relationship is built on the bridges of understanding one another.

And that’s on tips to making each other happy for a long time!