Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary and shortly after this post we will be on our way to celebrate together. We have been happily married for 22 years and in a relationship for 32 years. We are often asked how we have been able to sustain a healthy, successful relationship over all these years. Obviously, there is no magic formula, but one thing that I know for sure is that we never just let our relationship happen to us. We have always worked on our marriage, established a plan for our future and created relationship goals. If you do a Hashtag search on Instagram today there are 1,130,545 posts related to #RelationshipGoals. The posts range from images of loving couples hugging, kissing, holding hands, to loving quotes and even some jokes. The good news is that it shows that people are at least thinking about what they want their relationships to look like. The next step is to actually set realistic goals and go about doing the things that are necessary to achieve them. We talk a lot about relationship requirements, needs and wants. It is imperative to know them for yourself and if you are in a relationship you need to share them with your partner. It is also just as important to know what you don't want in a relationship. We call these deal breakers. You also have to be willing to set boundaries and expectations and communicate them without being demanding or condescending. Finally, you need to discuss your vision for your future. Where do you want to be in 5, 10 or 50 years from now? What will your family look like? If you have children, how will you raise them? What are your financial goals and what standard of living will you be comfortable with? How much time will you spend together nurturing your relationship? Will you have regularly scheduled date nights or weekend getaways together? Strong relationships don't just happen, they are hard work and we encourage you to move forward and establish your own #RelationshipGoals.
Levett and Pia Washington are relationship experts, co-authors of Shades of Love: Portraits of Successful Marriages and Love is Never Enough: Five Elements of Effective Relationships and coaches dedicated to helping people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers and relationships. They are members of the Relationship Coaching Institute and their vision is to inspire others to maximize their potential by living an authentic life to experience true love and happiness regardless of their background, sexual orientation or lifestyle choices. Together since the age of 13, the husband and wife coaching team offers executive and relationship coaching services and hosts conferences, workshops and seminars for couples and singles and provide valuable insight from both the male and female perspectives.
For more information on our upcoming events such as our Successful Singles Program or UNcommon with Brian Tracy book launch, visit their website www.ECIGroup.coachesconsole.com or www.PiaWashington.com; contact them via phone 805-415-5359 or follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/piavet.
