13 Things That Can Make or Break Relationships

Listen to this article

Relationships are intricate dances of love, connection, and vulnerability. They have the power to uplift us to soaring heights or leave us shattered and broken. In the realm of love, there are certain factors that can either make or break relationships. 

Understanding these dynamics is essential in navigating the often treacherous waters of long-term partnerships. 

From effective communication and trust-building to handling conflicts and nurturing emotional intimacy, this article delves into the key elements that can either solidify the foundation of your relationship or lead to its demise. 

Brace yourself for an enlightening exploration of what truly makes or breaks the connections we hold dear.

What does taking a break in your relationship mean?

What is a break in a relationship?

Taking a break in a relationship is like hitting the pause button on the roller coaster of love. It’s a chance to step back, reflect, and evaluate the state of the partnership. 

When they take break from relationships, couples can create space for personal growth and introspection, with the hope of gaining clarity and perspective. These factors can eventually make or break relationships.

It’s an opportunity to reassess individual needs, work on personal issues, and determine if the relationship is truly meant to endure. Ultimately, it’s a temporary separation that can either strengthen the bond or lead to an inevitable breakup.

It depends on the two individuals whether taking a break would work for them or not.

13 things that can make or break your relationship

What makes or breaks a relationship?

Are you at a crossroads in your relationship where you find yourself probably questioning whether your partner is “the one” for you? Or maybe you’re a bit confused about whether your relationship has long-term potential.

If you are having these thoughts, you’re not alone! Relationships are about growing together and individually. The list provided as follows will help you navigate where you and your partner stand in your relationship.

Consider the following things that can make or break relationships:

1. You and your partner’s listening skills

This cannot be ignored when we talk about make or break relationships.

This may be a bit surprising but, there is a huge difference between hearing and listening. Often, people use these two terms interchangeably and might think that they’re the same thing. But here’s the thing: they’re not the same thing.

There’s a difference between just hearing what your partner is saying and actively listening to your partner. If you and your partner actively listen to one another and do not interrupt each other, it means that you may have good listening skills.

It is important to actively listen to people. Active listening or the lack of it can impact the quality of the communication you share with your partner! So remember to listen to each other!

2. Do you work well together

You might be thinking that this is about having the same job or being in the same field of specialization in order to make or break relationships.

However, what is being referred to here is when you and your partner are doing something together (e.g., remodeling the kitchen, putting together a piece of furniture, etc.), do you work well together? 

Take up these projects which require both of your involvement. Your level of compatibility can make you or break you.

These team projects test your partner and your communication skills, your problem-solving ability, patience, and much more.

3. Sexual compatibility

The importance of having good sex with your partner cannot be denied in terms of ‘make or break relationships’.

Sexual compatibility makes and breaks relationships. There’s no such thing as too much sex. So, if you and your partner are sexually active frequently, and you both enjoy the sex, great!

On the flip side, a lack of sexual chemistry may be a deal-breaker or can make or break your relationship. If the sex is bad, it means that you and your partner need to work on this.

4. Intimacy

An important point among things that make or break a relationship.

Don’t confuse intimacy with sex. Sex is a big part of intimacy, but there are other ways to be intimate. Both partners need to be on the same page or have a clear understanding of the kind of intimacy the other partner likes.

Some people prefer physical touch as a form of intimacy. So, hugs, kisses, cuddling, etc., are important. Some people prefer acts of service as their love expression.

If you do not understand each other’s love language, it can easily make or break relationships.

5. The way you both handle finances

How you both handle money together is a very important determinant of what makes a relationship or breaks it. Now here’s the thing: it’s normal to not always be on the same page about money matters. It happens. It’s common. 

Money is a sensitive matter and can be one of the biggest deal-breakers in relationships. There are so many factors that affect how you two deal with money. But what matters is how you resolve these problems. Do you stick to the decisions you both have made together?

The big decisions regarding finances like how many accounts you both will have, who’ll pay for what, whether you need a joint account- all these matters. Being on the same page about these things is very important.

6. Raising a pet or child together

Parenthood is the most common and important factor to make or break relationships.

One of the most straightforward ways to see if you and your partner can be with each other for the rest of your lives is if you’re raising any living being together. What matters is how you’re sharing this huge responsibility.

Having small disagreements here and there about whether your child can watch an extra half an hour of TV or what haircut you want your pet to have is expected. But if you aren’t on the same page about the important things, it may break a relationship.

7. Living together

If you and your partner have just moved in together, this phase will be very important for your relationship. Living together either makes or breaks these intimate relationships.

It is a big step because you’re sharing the same space and seeing each other all the time. How you adjust with each and share household responsibilities can either help you grow together or break you apart.

8. Balance is key

What makes a good relationship last is balance. If either you or your partner feels inferior to each other, there may be a lack of balance. Nobody likes feeling like they’re not good enough, right?

If one of the people in the relationship is dominating and the primary decision maker or has the last say in matters big and small, it may feel wrong or unfair. A balanced relationship is about valuing each other’s opinions and insights and taking decisions together.

Here a quick video to help you understand the key skills of a balanced relationship:

9. Dealing with loss

“Have you dealt with loss together?” is one of the important make or break questions for relationships.

If you and your partner have experienced any major loss together, it can make or break meaning make you both develop a deeper desire and connection with each other or grow apart. 

Loss is difficult to deal with. Losing a loved one or a pet can be a tough obstacle to overcome. How you both deal with this tough phase is important. If you can support each other and be there for each other, it can make you develop deeper intimacy.

10. Mutual respect

Having disagreements is normal. However, the way you disagree with each other is key. Using foul language and doing foul things to hurt each other is disrespectful.

If you respect one another, it may reflect on how you deal with disagreements. Respect is another important pillar of a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

11. Personal growth

Supporting each other’s personal growth journeys strengthens the relationship, while stagnant growth can lead to complacency.

12. Shared responsibilities

Equally sharing responsibilities cultivates partnership and balance, while unequal distribution can lead to resentment and strain.

13. Compatibility

Shared values, goals, and interests contribute to a strong connection, while significant incompatibilities can strain the relationship.

Additional questions

Relationships can be complex, and navigating the decision to take a break can be confusing. Understanding the potential outcomes, recognizing warning signs, and determining the duration of a break are essential considerations in preserving or reevaluating a partnership.

• Can taking a break lead to a breakup?

Taking breaks in relationships can be stepping stones to breaking up if the underlying issues are left unaddressed or if the relationship breaks reveal fundamental incompatibilities that cannot be reconciled.

• When can taking a relationship break be bad?

Taking a break can be detrimental if it becomes an escape from problems without a genuine effort to resolve them, or if it becomes a repetitive pattern of temporary separation without progress or growth.

• How can one tell if a relationship is worth saving?

A relationship is worth saving if both partners are committed to growth, communication, and working through challenges together. If there is genuine love, shared values, and a willingness to change, the relationship has a chance of thriving.

• How long should a relationship break last?

The duration of a relationship break depends on the specific needs and circumstances of the individuals involved. It should provide enough time for self-reflection, personal growth, and actively working on the relationship, but there is no set timeframe as it varies for each couple.

Be wise and thoughtful

There are a lot of constituents that can contribute to making or breaking a relationship. 

Take these aforementioned pointers into consideration if you’re in a relationship or if you are wondering what to do on a relationship break to make a considerate decision. 

Hope everything works out well for you and your partner!