One of the pitfalls for all human beings is that we tend to go unconscious with anything that is routine in our life, including our partner. No matter how wonderful they may be, given time we tend to take our loved ones for granted. Don't forget to love the people in your life every day! This world is full of tales of people who only when faced with the loss of a loved one discovered how much more they wish they had expressed.

Make the people in your life the priority, not the other stuff! If you have ever lost a loved one you understood instantly that all that other stuff wasn't really all that important at all. Make it your priority every day to love the people in your life all out. This will help you guard against falling asleep and taking each other for granted.We don't have as much time in this life as we may think and you never know when it's the last time you will see a loved one. I recommend loving with a sense of urgency and not taking your time with a significant other for granted! I say this not to scare you but to wake you up; we all can use a reminder from time to time.

Unexpressed Anger/Hurt FeelingsOver time, withheld anger and hurt feelings cover up our ability to feel our love for another human being. Part of being honest is expressing to your partner what you are mad or hurt about (without being mean or abusive). Conversely, be willing to allow your partner to share their feelings of anger and hurt with you. I know it can be challenging to listen to at times. Yet in any relationship feelings are going to get hurt and people are going to get mad. The ability to express and listen to hurt feelings and anger and get over them is critical to having a long term fulfilling relationship. I know expressing anger and hurt feelings can sometimes be taboo in our culture. But people can get over being hurt or mad, it's far from the end of the world. In fact, once you have experienced staying with another human being while they are hurt or mad at you and eventually getting to the other side, you will discover that this can be quite a gift to your relationship. In fact you are likely to experience a new level of intimacy and love in your relationship. Since this is an area that many of us have never been taught how to deal with, it may be best to find a skilled mediator, counselor, or therapist for the first time, particularly for coaching in how to keep your anger clean and non- abusive. Lastly, remember the idea of expressing your anger or hurt feelings is to get over them, not to punish, blame or belittle your partner.

When expressing anger, keep it simple. Leave your story and blame out! Say, "I don't like what you said or did." Be specific; don't add extra venom. Example: "I didn't like when you said I was a lazy bum," or "I didn't like that you went out without calling me." Again, the idea isn't to make the other person wrong but to rather get over your anger/hurt so you can love them again.

Extracted from: Wisdom Article