Love & Sex

These 4 lies about successful relationships you should never believe

By Sophie Rietmulder | #!30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:004730#30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:00-11Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202330 06am30am-30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:0011Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam2023302023Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +02004511459amWednesday=9#!30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#09-06-2023#!30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:004730#/30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:00-11Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202330#!30Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:47 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#

Is it just me or are we currently in the middle of break-up season? Celebrity break-ups are flying around you and also in my surroundings, couples are throwing in the towel all the time. TikToker Therapy Jeff, a therapist who shares his knowledge with the world in an accessible way via TikTok, believes that a large part of these break-ups comes from people setting the bar for a successful relationship way too high. They believe, for example, that the following points are the key to a long and happy life together, but nothing could be further from the truth.

You never doubt your relationship
Having doubts about your relationship is not weird. Even if you want to be with someone for the rest of your life, it is very normal to sometimes wonder if there might be someone who fits you better, sparks more, or listens to you better. Especially at the moment when you get into yet another argument about whether your partner could please put his laundry in the basket instead of next to it. Of course, someone else might seem more attractive in the heat of the moment, but let's be honest, you've never had to pick up a dirty pair of underwear from them.

You have a lot of sex
This is absolutely not true. Having a lot of sex does not equate to having a successful relationship. There are millions of things that can affect physical intimacy between two partners, and the chance that you both have exactly the same libido is, you guessed it, zero. Successful couples talk about these differences and ensure that they can find a nice middle ground together.

You agree on everything
Have you ever met a person with whom you always agree? Exactly, no. Finding a partner with whom you are on the same page about everything is downright impossible. The secret of people in successful relationships is not that they agree on everything, it is the fact that they accept their differences and can calmly talk about matters on which they think differently.

You do everything together
It is my nightmare to be dragged to every family birthday party of my partner, and I would never do that to my partner either. Having a successful relationship has nothing to do with trailing behind like a Siamese twin. Having your own hobbies, your own vacations, and your own friends is mega important for the success of your relationship.