This is the third article in a three part series of articles by guest writer Anita Hashmani on how any guy can get any girl. Read as Anita walks us through the entire process, starting from the approach all the way into a long-lasting relationship. In part 3, Anita talks about how to keep the relationship alive.  Click here for part 2, where she talks about fanning the flame.

Part 3: She loves you. Make it last forever

Joe Shmoe and Hot Girl sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! You’re in love, you’re happy, and you think your relationship is perfect. I hate to break it to ya, but no relationship is perfect. Even if you think everything is going well, you should know that doubt, confusion, or second thoughts will cross your girlfriend’s mind at some point in time. And if you aren’t willing to deal with the elephant(s) in the room, they will eat at your relationship as the years pass until it’s over. Sometimes a relationship has run its course and there’s nothing you can do about it. But other times there are a number of steps you can take to prevent (or alleviate) the issues and maintain (or rekindle) your love. Of course, it takes two to tango. Most of these guidelines can also apply to your female counterpart.

The obvious stuff:

• Be honest, don’t cheat on her, buy her flowers, blah blah blah.

The not-so-obvious stuff:

• I’m going to start out by echoing a statement by Shanif in a previous article. One word: COMMUNICATION. You probably already talk all the time about your day, work, friends, and family, but you should also talk about things that bother you. All relationships have their faults and the worst thing you can do is ignore them. Tell her if something is bothering you. Be firm. Women don’t like pushovers.
• Keep the romance alive. Cliché, I know. But I’m not talking about the typical flowers and chocolate romance. I’m talking hot tub nights, candlelight dinners, sexy lingerie from Victoria Secret, and watching movies by the fireplace. Your girlfriend should be your best friend, but you don’t want the comfort to transform your romantic relationship into a brother/sister relationship.
• Try to refrain from unpleasant habits. If your girlfriend gives you the death stare every time you burp, then try not to burp in front of her. It sounds insignificant, but the small disgusting tendencies add up and become huge huge turn-offs no matter how comfortable you are with each other.
• Have a guys’ night out once in a while. All relationships need a break, even if it’s just one night a month. Encourage your girlfriend to have a girls’ night out, too. Spending some time apart will make you appreciate each other more.
• Don’t scare her with talk of kids, marriage, or moving in together unless you are absolutely sure she’s on the same page. It’s probably a better idea to wait until she brings up the topic. Women are more vocal about these things so if she’s not talking about it, chances are she’s not ready.
• Most nice guys don’t have this problem, but for all you bad boys out there, please try your best to get along with her friends and family. If they don’t like you, you’re not going to last.
• Go on vacation together, just the two of you. Vacations with friends are fun, but you should also try to squeeze in some romantic get-a-ways a couple of times a year.

I hope all the male readers out there learned a thing or two. There are no guarantees, but I’ve tried my best to summarize the general consensus from me and my girl friends. Please keep in mind that all women are unique, and all relationships are different, so these “rules” don’t always apply. If you meet your soulmate while you’re grocery shopping and it’s love at first sight, then there’s no use in following my guidelines (if that ever happens though, you should probably also buy a lottery ticket). Now if someone could please write a similar article for women by a man, that would be much appreciated!  And please don’t use the words “cook” or “clean” in it.

Image from catlover.