There's no denying that maintaining a relationship takes a lot of work. Almost 50% of all marriages end in divorce, and many wonder how people can maintain their relationships over a lifetime. The following are some tips for making a relationship a happy and healthy one.

Keep a light mood in a relationship. While trust and maturity are essential to a relationship, it also helps to be lighthearted. Relationships are supposed to make us happy. Be sure that you can joke with your partner, and that your partner can in turn poke fun at you.

Try your best not to focus on your differences. If the two of you are in disagreement about a topic, discuss it once and then try to avoid the issue if you're still in conflict. Or at least agree to disagree.

Keep things interesting. While routines can be simple to follow, it's important to think outside the box in your relationship to keep an aspect of excitement present. Take a spontaneous trip or perhaps develop a new hobby with your loved one to help add a little spice to the relationship.

Be sure to forgive each other when problems arise. The more that you let a problem stew inside of you, the more likely you are to blow up when the issue comes up in conversation. That's not fair to your partner, so discuss things as they need to be discussed.

Give each other some breathing space. If you and your loved one are living together, or feel that you're seeing each other altogether too often, try getting some time away from each other. Being apart for a little while will likely show you that the things you tend to take for granted in your relationship are more important than you realize.