Second, you need to make some alterations to your perception. If you always see the person the same way, your relationship will not grow. People change, and the dynamics of relationships and friendships change, so our way of looking at them needs to change as well. You have to pay attention to your partner daily, to find out where and who they are that day, before they become a stranger to you. So, spend time with them.

Next, you have to remember that love is a verb and takes action. It is when you stop taking actions to grow and nourish love that relationships fail. That is why people who have been married for 20 years can get divorced and say that they just do not love one another anymore. Often times we take love for granted, and we forget that our partners can do the same. But, taking it for granted is a mistake, when love is not expressed, anger and withdrawal often follow. In fact love that is not translated into daily behavior, may not be love at all. So, take the time each day to show your partner you love them. You can do this with an embrace, a thoughtful gesture or word, or something more.

Make sure you have trust, communication and sharing. Working on relationships is a daily thing, and you should make sure through your daily actions that you are renewing the bonds of trust you started with. This means being honest, not making promises you can't keep, and spending time with the one you love so that you have open channels of communication.

Guess what? The good news is that making sure your relationship is being worked on and good is very enjoyable. It means getting to spend quality time with the one you love. It means taking the initiative to plan activities to do with one another. With our busy lives this can be hard, but it is still fun.

When working on your relationships start with yourself. You need to know what it is you want and need in a relationship. You need to know your own dreams, otherwise it will be impossible for your partner to know these. Ask yourself what you want for the future, and how you want the relationship to fit with that. If you can't answer these questions, how can the relationship fulfill your needs?

Next, when working on your relationship you have to let your partner be who they are. Ask yourself if you are happy with who they are, or if you are hoping to change them? If you realize that it is not the person but the potential you love, then it is time to work on either helping them reach that potential, or finding someone else to have a relationship with.

If you are starting to feel smothered, work on your relationship by developing your own interests and activities. Sometimes when we get into a relationship, the less dominant individual gives up their friends and interests in order to spend more time together. This is not healthy. So, spend some time apart and soon you will enjoy the time you spend together more because you will spend it as individuals.

With any relationship, you have to invest time, commitment, and patience to make it work. However, always work on relationships by working on yourself first.