Scientifically Proven Ways to Create a Lasting Relationship
There are plenty of ways we seek out love, and perhaps we feel like we're inching towards it with these future classic steps: creating an online dating profile, avoiding arguments at all costs, taking charge of seeking the kind of person you want, allowing something to come together and stay that way with natural ease, and occasionally get advice from friends. What if I told you that all of this has been scientifically proven to mess with your chances at attaining love? Read on to discover the things that will work in your favor.
Everybody's doing it, and yay, the stigma has gone away, so get to typing! Not so fast. Will you necessarily hit it off with that cutie you're a 96% "match" with? Possibly yes, possibly not. Why? Because similarities don't predict relationship success. Sure,having similar core values are important, but the level of granularity that some dating apps can go into, taking into account your taste in country music or love of Woody Allen films, is simply irrelevant and not correlated with lasting relationships. Did you know 88% of "new" relationships, established 5 or fewer years ago, started offline? Give meeting people a go, but how about IRL? Read a little more about online dating's effect on relationships here.
Yes, you read correctly. Research isn't suggesting you pick a fight, but if you have a difference of opinion, don't be afraid to express it. Arguing about things that matter give them a shot at being resolved, versus the things we "grin and bear" that somehow never seem to improve. Bottling it up is prove to diminish your health, but don't argue indiscriminately; pick your battles, and be sure to listen to what your partner has to say in response.
3. Consider an "Arranged" Marriage...
Okay, you may be thinking that an arranged marriage is seriously outdated, but hear this out: if two people are paired up with the understanding that they will work through conflict and differences no matter what, they'll last longer as a couple than the couple that falls in love and is only held together by the sometimes fleeting feeling. It all comes down to grit, and putting effort into the maintenance of the relationship which may not sound sexy, but it can ultimately be more enduring. If that isn't enough, check this out: 90% of all Indian marriages are arranged, and only 1% of Indian marriages end in divorce. Find out more here.
This may seem obvious, but how often do we ask friends what he or she thinks of our new beau? The greatest predictor of whether a couple will be together in three years is this: how each member of the couple answers the question: do you think you'll still be together in three years. If both believe so, it's statistically more likely to be reality.
