Many people are looking for a lasting relationship and yet some fail to understand how to strengthen a relationship and gain the love and respect for each other. Here are ten secrets towards an everlasting relationship for you and your partner to reflect on.

The First Secret: The power of Love.

Love begins with our thoughts. We become what we think. Loving thoughts create loving experiences and loving relationships. Affirmations can change our beliefs and thoughts about ourselves and others. If we want to love someone, we need to consider their needs and desires. Thinking about your ideal partner will help recognize him or her when you meet.

The Second Secret: The power of Respect.

You cannot love anyone or anything unless you first respect them. The first person you need to respect is yourself. To begin to gain self-respect ask yourself, “What do I respect about myself? ” To gain respect for others, even those you may dislike, ask yourself, “What do I respect about them?”

The Third Secret: The power of Giving.

If you want to receive love, all you have to do is give it! The more love you give, the more you will receive. To love is to give of yourself, freely and unconditionally. Practice random acts of kindness. The secret formula of a happy, lifelong relationship is to always focus on what you can give instead of you can take.

The Fourth Secret: The power of Friendship.

To find true love you must first find a true friend. To love someone completely you must love them for who they are not what they look like. Friendship is the soil through which love’s seeds grow. If you want to bring love into a relationship, you must first bring friendship.

The Fifth Secret: The power of Touch.

Touch is one of the most powerful expressions of love, breaking down barriers and bonding relationships. Touch changes our physical and emotional states and makes us more receptive to love.

The Sixth Secret: The power of Letting go.

If you love something, let it be free. Even in a loving relationship, people need their space. If we want to learn to love, we must first learn to forgive and let go of past hurts and grievances. Love means letting go of our fears, prejudices, egos and conditions.

The Seventh Secret: The power of Communication.

To love someone is to communicate with them. Let the people you love know; that you love and appreciate them. Never be afraid to say, “I love you.” Never let an opportunity pass to praise and acknowledge someone. Always leave someone you love with a loving word. It could be the last time you see them.

The Eighth Secret: The power of Commitment.

If you want to have love in abundance, you must be committed to it. Commitment is the true test of love. If you want to have loving relationships, you must be committed to loving relationships. When you are committed to someone or something, quitting is never an option. Commitment distinguishes a fragile relationship from a strong, loving one.

The Ninth Secret: The power of Passion.

Passion ignites love and keeps it alive. Lasting passion does not come through physical attraction alone. It comes from deep commitment, enthusiasm, interest and excitement. The essence of love and happiness are the same, all we need to do is to live each day with passion.

The Tenth Secret: The power of Trust.

You cannot love someone completely unless you trust them completely. Act as if your relationship with the person you love will never end. Trust is essential in all loving relationships. Trust yourself, trust others and trust the world. It is the foundation for LOVE.

When a man sees a woman for the first time, and he is attracted to that woman it is said it is love at first sight. But the better phrase to use would be it was lust at first sight. This is the most correct assessment especially of such a scenario. The male species in a human being is still an animal and is always looking for potential females to mate with. It is sex that attracts a man to woman but not love. what is love? Love means something different to man. To him having sex with a woman is paramount and it does not mean that he loves that woman. This is the reason why a man is genetically polygamous. There is nothing like love, it is the power of the loin that is attractive. How else does a man manage to have several wives and lovers hanging at the fringes?

Love is an illusion, it is a creation of the mind. What makes us believe there is love is simply because we do not want to change the status quo. It is a tradition passed from generation to generation and who are we to break these tradition? We were brought up believing in the concept of love. We grew up in a society where the word love was being thrown right, left and center with so much abandon. It is entrenched in our minds that yes, there is love. But have you ever sat down and pondered about is? Have you ever asked yourself what is love? And do you believe in it? Do not start biting your finger nails or scratching your head over the issue, it might go bald it it is not already bald.

The so called love that is so much hyped up is only a temporarily infatuation. People keep on falling in and out of “love”. People fall out because infatuation is a temporary feeling and once it is worn out everything is over between the two of you. It must be understood that no love was involved. There is a very big misconception of the true meaning of love. Love is used as an escape goat so that people can indulge in their fantasies. What is love? Love is kindness stretched over a long period of time. It is the best way to put it.