Your partner makes you blissfully happy, and you couldn’t imagine life with anyone else.

Of course, any relationship requires effort and commitment to keep it going, and doing certain things can help your partner remember how much you love and care for them. The little things matter most in relationships, such as making dinner when your partner feels too tired, washing the dishes, buying him or her chocolates just because, etc. Relationships change over time, so communicating with your partner to figure out what makes both of you happy will go a long way in sustaining the partnership. Even if you’ve been with your partner for a while, make sure to never stop doing the following things for him or her.

10 Things To Never Stop Doing For Your Partner:

Related article: 5 Things Respectful Relationships Do Differently

1. Committing to working on yourself just as much as your relationship.

Any relationship in our life requires us first to develop a healthy relationship with ourselves. We attract the energy that we have cultivated within, so if we constantly think negative thoughts and give off unpleasant vibes, that energy will come back to us as well. Once you realize that love starts with you, you can have much more open, loving, and positive relationships. So, never stop working on yourself, because the work that you do on your own consciousness will determine what type of relationships you have in your life.

2. Communicating openly.

Any healthy relationship requires total transparency in order to work. The more you go within and remove any blockages in your energetic field, the more open you can become in your personal life, too. Communication doesn’t have to be complicated; it just means that both parties need to come forward with any thoughts or emotions they have, and not feel ashamed to share them. Never stop communicating with your partner – healthy, raw, uncensored communication will take any relationship to new levels.

According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the most successful adult relationships consist of a feeling of closeness as well as the ability to depend on others for emotional support. So, cultivating a close, loving relationship that includes frank, open communication will keep your love alive.

3. Checking in on them.

Even if both of you work 40+ hours a week, you can still send a loving text message or ask about their day after they get home from work. Truly, relationships simply require love and care in order to work, so don’t ever stop checking in on your partner. Make sure you let them know that they can come to you with anything, and that you have their back. Checking in with them might just mean giving them a warm embrace to show them you care, or giving them a massage before bed at night, or asking if they have anything they need to get off their chest. Be mindful of your partner’s needs, and don’t make them feel like a burden if they need to vent.

Related article: One Sentence Reminders Every Relationship Needs To Hear

4. Listening to your partner.

In today’s society, we have largely forgotten the power of listening to others. We rush around trying to get chores done, trying to keep our families afloat and keep everything together, but how often do we drop everything to truly listen to someone else? Probably not as often as we’d like. People like to feel heard and understood, so give this gift to your partner unconditionally. Listening allows you to connect with him or her on a deep level. Of course, it requires some patience and humility, but listening will make your partner feel important and worthy of your time, which any relationship needs to survive.

If you want a successful partnership, never forget the power of truly listening to your loved one.

5. Loving your partner, quirks and all.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but if you want to keep your partner, don’t ever stop remembering why you fell in love with him or her in the first place. While they might get on your nerves after a while, stopping to remember what you love about them and what caught your attention to begin with can help keep the relationship going. You won’t ever find a perfect person in life, but forget perfect. Just accept people as they come, and help them to transform their weaknesses into strengths. Your partner might have flaws, but never stop helping them improve themselves and seeing how much potential they truly have.

6. Making time for him or her.

In this hectic world today, we often forget about making others feel special in the midst of our responsibilities, chores and errands. However, making time for your relationship could make the difference between staying together for the long-haul or ending things before they even began. Never stop making time for your partner, even if you have deadlines and responsibilities at work, kids to attend to, or other things in your personal life. Everyone needs to feel important, and your significant other should be one of the major priorities in your life.

7. Surprising him or her.

Successful relationships also require an element of surprise sometimes to keep things exciting. Has your partner forgotten the last time they’ve been on a vacation? Surprise them with a weekend getaway or even two plane tickets to one of their favorite destinations if you feel like truly spoiling them. Has your lover had a tough week at work? Make him or her a special candlelit dinner at home and pop in one of their favorite movies afterwards. Keeping your partner on their toes will make the relationship seem fresh and exciting, no matter how long you’ve been together.

8. Encouraging your partner.

In a relationship, both parties need encouragement and support, so don’t ever stop offering these things to your partner. If he or she wants to reach certain goals but feels unsure of themselves, give them that extra push they need to see their dreams through to the end. Don’t ever put your partner down or make him or her feel that they aren’t good enough – inspire, motivate, and illuminate their path for them so that they can become the best version of themselves.

9. Challenging him or her.

Just as much as relationships require understanding and compassion, sometimes, your partner might need an extra push or motivation to try something new. If they have talked of competing in a marathon, for example, and have never taken the initiative to train or sign up for one, get them out there! Remind them how amazing, athletic, and capable they are, and challenge them to reach their potential. This is only one of many possible examples, but the point is, you should never allow your partner to simply settle. Everyone can always improve and reach new goals, so remind your partner of this if they seem unmotivated or stagnant.

10. Enjoying the little things in life together.

No matter how crazy, hectic, or stressful life gets, never stop relishing in the little things in life that make this existence truly worth it. Embrace the mornings together cuddling in bed before you have to get up for work, enjoy discussions over morning coffee, smile at the sunrise together, or just sit in the backyard and stare up at the clouds for a while. As fast as we move through this life, we can easily forget about what makes this life so beautiful and special.

The little things in life truly add up to the bigger things in the end, so anytime you feel you need a breather in life, remember what brings about the best connection between you and your partner. We all need to take a time out from responsibilities and the seriousness of life for a second, so get out in nature, talk about deep, important topics together, or just enjoy how it feels in each other’s arms.

In summary, as long as you keep an open, honest relationship and never stop loving or caring for your partner, you will likely enjoy a happy, healthy relationship for a long time to come.