People can spend their whole lives looking for love and the right partner. The hard thing is that in some cases, you believe you find love, but time tells that it wasn’t the right partner. Picking the right person can be one of the hardest things to finding the illustrious “L” word. The media portrays these fairy tale weddings and one night stands that end up lasting forever, yet in reality, we know that the chances for these same situations are very low.

Since high school, every girlfriend I have had I had a checklist.This checklist consists of just three boxes. Without all three checked I know that my chances are slim of my current relationship working out. When I say “working out”, I mean by “it” being successful!

• COMMUNICATION
• TRUST
• COMMITMENT

When I think of a successful relationship there are three words that come to mind. Communication, trust, and commitment are the three key elements which are the base for any successful relationship.

One of the first things I notice when selecting a spouse are the way we communicate. If we can sit and have a interesting conversation with each other, well that’s a hell of a way to start! Now I don’t base this off of one conversation, I’m talking about a series of them. I would never start a problem on purpose, but the way we communicate in the heat of an argument is essential. A relationship isn’t always great all the time. If we can’t communicate and talk things out, through the good and bad times, I don’t see us working out.

Trust comes only through the time we invest in each other. I would never expect to be with my love 24 hours and 7 days a week. It would be EXTREMELY difficult to progress in any relationship without trust. Trust issues lead to assumptions and assumptions lead to break ups. TRUST ME. “Assumptions are the termites of relationships”. It all comes from trust! You need trust to function in a relationship like a car needs gas to go!

Commitment is last but certainly not least. If you have good communication and you trust the person you are with, then this is the point where you decide whether you want to take that step. I believe that committing yourself to anything requires deep thought. It’s almost like you’re a pro athlete signing a contract for a new sports team. You don’t know what the future brings but today you have the power. Loyalty is a must. I feel like this is where cheating occurs most. People sign that contract based on what they feel at that moment, when they really need to look deeper into the topic and in the future. Where you are today may not be where you want to be tomorrow! Love is a fragile box, and if handled correctly all of its secrets can be opened to you!

Love and relationships is a very sensative topic that needs to be discussed!