By Laura Snyder

Even the best relationships occasionally hit a rut in the road to happily-ever-after (“I wasn’t looking at her, honey, I swear!”). But happy couples know the secrets to navigating the best route to romance nirvana.   If you’re lost on the path to relationship bliss, take heart. We mapped out their shortcuts. 

Success Secret #1: Get a Flirting Fix 

Most of us think that we can turn-off our smoldering glances and lingering touches as soon as we commit to a relationship. We couldn’t be more wrong. Flirting shows that you’re still attracted to your partner and can combat that completely unsexy predictability.  

Success Secret #2: Reach Out and Touch Someone 

Spending cozy moments together not only keeps you physically close, it keeps you emotionally close as well.  Cuddling up together releases feel-good brain chemicals that enhance that love-you-madly feeling. This is particularly effective just after sex, when those chemicals are at their highest levels. 

Success Secret #3: Be Polite 

If you’re a reasonably civil person, you chew with your mouth closed, don’t interrupt when someone’s talking, and remember your ‘please’ and ‘thank-you’s when interacting with strangers.  So, why do we get so complacent about standard social graces when we’re with our beloved?  It’s not just about being polite – although that’s a start – remembering to treat your partner with respect shows that you don’t take them for granted. 

Success Secret #4: Live Your Own Life 

When you first started dating, you did everything together and delighted in the significance of every shared commonality.  That’s perfectly normal, since at that time you were looking for common ground on which to base your relationship.  Happy couples, though, make sure they keep up with the interests that keep them unique.  Having separate passions will keep you from becoming a too-close, conformist couple.  

Success Secret #5: Be Good to Each Other 

It’s not just about being supportive during hard times, it’s about doing the little things – buying socks when he needs them, making her dinner when she works late – that show you’re thinking of them.  Be attentive to your partner’s mood and be sure to hand out more compliments than criticisms. 

Success Secret #6: Fight Fair 

Sure, it’d be great if you never argued, but that won’t happen.  When you do have a fight, remember that the goal is not to win and win big, it’s to get what’s bothering you out in the open and come to a mutually satisfying solution.