Definition of Relationship Longevity
Relationship longevity is a fairly complicated idea. The length of a relationship is a part of it, true, but there's also considerations for how "alive" the relationship is. If you're in a relationship (romantic or otherwise) that you consider to be important though, the amount of work and effort you put into making it last can improve the longevity of your relationship.
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Longevity
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The word longevity means long life. Longevity doesn't refer to just living for a long time though, it also means living in good health and maintaining a good, independent life. A person on life support is technically long lived, but due to the circumstances you wouldn't refer to him as experiencing longevity in his life.
Relationship Longevity
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The idea of longevity can be applied to a relationship. For instance, if you have a marriage that lasts for a long time where both spouses are deeply in love, emotionally intimate and are actively sharing their lives with each other they are experiencing relationship longevity. Another marriage that lasts the same amount of time but which is unhappy and filled with arguments and resentment is the emotional equivalent of the man on life support--long lived, but not in a positive way.
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Emotional Exercise
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Exercise, the toning and working of the body, is one of the keys to physical longevity. Relationship longevity can be achieved through emotional exercise. Regularly working on your relationship to make it more open, more trusting and more intimate can in the end make it stronger for all the work. The same way that lifting weights and working a muscle can increase your strength over time, emotional work can strengthen a relationship.
Mutual Work
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For relationship longevity to be established, both parties have to work at it. For instance, one partner can work very hard at being open and honest, emotionally available and patient. But if the other partner remains untrusting, stubborn and angry then the relationship will sicken over time.
Dianetics
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Though many people don't take the book seriously, the term relationship longevity is one of the buzzwords for Dianetics. The explanation that Dianetics gives for relationships not working is that a person will act irrationally, and that these irrational acts will give rise to stress and anxiety in the relationship. This leads to the breakdown of emotional strength and relationship longevity.
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References
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