Instead of focusing on bad habits you need to break in your relationship [1], give things a positive spin. Developing good habits with your partner is something you can work on together, and practicing these eight things will make you stronger than ever.

1. Tell each other about your days.

Each day, make a point to regroup with each other and fill your partner in on what happened throughout your day. This is an easy way to keep in touch with each others' lives and to communicate anything important (or funny, or exciting, or upsetting!) that you experienced while apart.

2. Have sex.

Anyone in a long-term relationship has probably fallen into an intimacy rut at some point, but it's important that you don't allow yourselves to stay in one. Make sex a habit. Commit to expressing how much you love each other by saying it but also by showing it physically. Spice things up if you need to, and challenge each other to keep things fresh in the bedroom [2].

3. Apologize.

Get into the habit of being humble. If you had a terrible day and you took it out on your significant other, be honest to yourself and to your partner. A genuine apology proves that not only have you recognized your mistake, but that you're willing to take responsibility for it out of respect and love for your significant other. It makes the forgiving process a lot easier, too!

4. Touch base when you're apart.

Sending a quick note to let your partner know you're thinking about them takes mere minutes, but the effect can be much longer lasting. Small gestures of love and thoughtfulness can make a huge difference in a relationship.

5. Never hesitate to give compliments!

It's common to think something wonderful about your partner — but don't stop there! Instead of just thinking about how much you love them or how great they look in that shirt, tell them. Vocalize your attraction for and appreciation of your significant other as often as you can. They can't read your mind, so just thinking it doesn't have the same effect as communicating those sweet thoughts whenever they cross your mind.

6. Spend time apart.

Take time apart to work on yourselves, to do things you like to do, and to foster relationships outside of your romantic one. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder, and distance can be healthy in rekindling the romance and reminding you both just how much you love being around each other. Take a weekend trip alone, spend the day crossing things off your list, and reconnect later in the evening. Even just a few hours or days apart can make you miss your partner, and missing them will make reuniting all the more exciting.

7. Argue constructively.

I'm a firm believer that disagreeing can make a relationship stronger, but only if it's done in a constructive way. Fights that go in circles, where neither partner is listening to the other and where neither person is showing respect, are not beneficial. Make a habit out of communicating with each other when you aren't on the same page, because there's nothing worse than burying your feelings when you're upset; those feelings will come back with a vengeance eventually.

8. Touch.

Snuggle. Hug. Kiss. Hold hands. A physical connection — not just sex — helps to maintain your bond. Even the most innocent of touches can deepen the level of intimacy between you and your partner.