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Afro american couple drinking coffee at home

Source: Izabela Habur / Getty

via MadameNoire.com:

In a regular day, we can be so consumed with all of our work and home responsibilities that we forget the importance of being responsible for the health and growth of our relationships.

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News flash, all relationships take work. How much work varies depending on the couple and the stage they are in in their relationship, but it’s a time investment nonetheless. Having a strong relationship requires a practice of some sort–something you and your bae or beau can do daily to show you care without making it feel like another obligation or thing to check off your ‘to do’ list.

Here are a couple of quick and easy tips from YourTango.

Don’t Underestimate The Importance Of Touch

Just a simple hand hold or hand on the knee to say “I see you” or “I hear you” can do wonders.

Repeat After Them

Your partner just came home and gave you an entire spiel of all their work stress. You were tempted to zone out, but you didn’t! So when you get that dreaded “were you even listening?” you can parrot back every single word to them so they feel acknowledged. Listening is a beautiful thing!

Don’t Yell

Go scream in a pillow, then speak to your partner calmly. There’s no way a constructive resolution can be birthed from a shouting match. Even if you have to calmly tell your partner “I need a moment to come back to this,” that’s better than yelling in the moment and never being heard at all.

Take Turns

This isn’t some collegiate lecture hall, it’s a relationship. Agree to take turns relaying feelings and giving each partner’s perspective equal space to speak. You can even introduce a “talking stick” of some sort to make sure no one hogs all the convo space.

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