DON'T Let Jealousy Get in the Way of Your Love — Here Are 6 Ways to Fight It

Updated on 4/8/2017 at 4:45 PM

Even the strongest of relationships can't withstand the powers of jealousy. That's why it's crucial to fight it early on in the relationship before it really becomes an issue down the line. The thing about jealousy is that even if it stems from one partner, it requires effort from both ends. It's a constant struggle of trust, insecurity, and doubt that can't be fixed overnight. But there are ways to prevent it from ruining the relationship entirely. Here are six things you can do to make sure jealousy doesn't get in the way.

Bring up concerns.

It goes without saying that open communication is one of the most important things to making a relationship last. Keeping any worries you have about the relationship to yourself will only eat you up. How will you ever know the answer if you don't ask? If you and your partner have a healthy relationship, you should be able to discuss things without the other person getting defensive and angry. Talk things out to finally put some of your doubts to rest.

Work on yourself.

Jealousy comes from within, so most importantly, you need to find out the reason behind these insecurities. You have to work on your self-confidence or else you'll always have this irrational fear in the back of your mind. You don't want to jump to conclusions that can ultimately make you self-sabotage your relationship. Being sure of yourself will make you feel more confident about you two.

Maintain intimacy.

Affection is reassurance, so don't ever get lazy. A jealous partner will only get more jealous if they're not receiving enough attention from you. Sex is obviously an effective way to maintain closeness, but physical interactions in general can go a long way, as long as they're genuine. A lack of intimacy is a red flag in any relationship, so make sure you're not feeding into your partner's doubts.

Don't stop reminding each other how much you care.

Even if you two have been together for years, it's important to continue showing each other love. Don't assume they know how much they mean to you — keep reminding them so that they never forget. Whether it's through sweet and small gestures or verbally saying "I love you," find new ways to show each other appreciation instead of allowing things to become routine. This will help keep your partnership strong, even through the rougher times.

Stop overthinking things.

Don't allow your doubts and irrational thinking to get the best of you. Dwelling on negative thoughts won't make you any less envious, so learn to accept things for the way they are. As long as you and your partner trust and love each other, nothing else should get in the way. Unless you actually have reason to believe that you can't trust him or her, focus on your relationship and not your insecurities.

Trust each other!

If your relationship doesn't have a strong foundation, it's only a matter of time. How do you expect things to last if you're lacking trust? Jealousy and trust go hand in hand — the more confidence you have in each other, the less your insecurities will have effect. If you do have any doubts about your partner, there may be some underlying issues beyond jealousy.