Special guest Tim Roberts joins Kevin Evans to discuss the secrets of making a long term relationship work.  Tim has been married for 40 years, has five children and eight grandkids.  Kevin got divorced after a 23 year marriage and is now dating again.

There is no such thing as a perfect relationship.  It's a fallacy and takes effort, commitment and determination by both parties to make it work.

There are three stages in a relationship:  Honeymoon Phase; Family Phase;  Empty Nester Phase.  Most are prepared for the first two, but don't prepare for the third.

To have a successful relationship, a couple needs to focus on making it work and avoiding pitfalls. 

Secrets of a successful relationship include:

• Communication:  Listen and practice empathy
• Honesty.  Your partner is your confidant
• Praise in public, Criticize in private
• Trust.  Respect boundaries
• Fight fair.  Don't name call or rehash past infractions
• Don't go to bed angry
• Grow as a person and couple, don't CHANGE. There is a difference
• Compromise and balance
• Intimacy is critical, both physical and emotional
• Keep romance alive.  Water and fertilize the relationship
• Don't compare the relationship or your partner to others
• Support