• Posted February 14, 2026

How to Nurture A Healthy Relationship 365 Days a Year

The focus on Valentine’s Day is, as The Beatles famously crooned, "love is all you need." 

But staying in love and growing together requires work and commitment.

"There are also some characteristics that most healthy relationships have in common," writes a team led by Lawrence Robinson of HelpGuide.org, a nonprofit focused on mental health resources. "Knowing these basic principles can help keep your relationship meaningful, fulfilling and exciting."

How does your relationship stack up on these keys to success?

Couples in healthy relationships maintain a meaningful emotional connection with each other. You make your partner feel loved and emotionally fulfilled. "There’s a difference between being loved and feeling loved," HelpGuide.org points out. "When you feel loved, it makes you feel accepted and valued by your partner, like someone truly gets you." Some couples get along peacefully but don’t truly relate on an emotional level. The lack of an ongoing emotional connection adds distance between the two.

You don’t shy away from (respectful) disagreement. It’s important that both partners are comfortable saying what’s on their mind, and couples need to be able to resolve conflicts without degradation, humiliation or one partner insisting on being right.

You foster outside interests and relationships. No one’s needs can be met by one person alone — and expecting too much of your loved one can affect the relationship. To sustain your own identity, maintain strong ties to family and friends, and don’t give up your hobbies and interests.

Your communication is honest and open. Effective communication is essential. "When both people know what they want from the relationship and feel comfortable expressing their needs, fears and desires, it can increase trust and strengthen the bond between you," HelpGuide.org says.

All couples go through ups and downs over the course of their relationship — whether they’re in the throes of initial infatuation or the familiar rhythms of years together.

"Even if you’ve experienced a lot of failed relationships in the past or have struggled before to rekindle the fires of romance in your relationship, you can find ways to stay connected, find fulfillment, and enjoy lasting happiness," HelpGuide.org says.

It offers these tips to help preserve that sweet feeling of new love and keep the fires burning.

Stay connected through communication. As long as you are talking, you can usually work through any problems you’re facing. Tell your partner what you need, and take note of their body language. Eye contact, tone of voice, posture and gestures like crossing arms or touching someone’s hand communicate more than words.

"When you experience positive emotional cues from your partner, you feel loved and happy, and when you send positive emotional cues, your partner feels the same," HelpGuide.org says. "When you stop taking an interest in your own or your partner’s emotions, you’ll damage the connection between you and your ability to communicate will suffer, especially during stressful times."

Be a good listener. When you are engaged with what your partner is saying, you’ll hear the subtle tones in his or her voice that communicate how they’re really feeling. Try to listen in a way that makes the other person feel valued and understood.

Learn your love languages. The five most common, according to the bestselling book, are words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. To be sure your partner feels the love you’re trying to share, be sure to express it in their love language. (For instance, if words of affirmation is their love language, your compliments will mean more than a gift, a hug or act of service.)

Spend quality time together. Hurried texts, emails and instant messages may have a purpose, but they don’t have the positive impact on your brain and nervous system that face-to-face communication does. Find something you enjoy doing together, be it a daily walk, cup of joe in the morning, or a shared hobby. One idea: Volunteering offers the chance to tackle new challenges together and to interact in fresh ways. 

Get physical. Sex is often the cornerstone of a relationship, but frequent, affectionate touch — hugging, kissing, holding hands — is also important. Carve out regular couple time, be it an hour at day’s end to sit and chat, a full-blown date night or weekend getaway.

Finally, be prepared for ups and downs. No couples are always on the same page. It’s important to talk things out, be open to change and, if needed, to seek outside help for resolving conflicts.

More information

How healthy is your relationship? The National Domestic Violence Hotline has a guide to evaluate yours.

SOURCE: HelpGuide.org, Feb. 4, 2025