The Keys of Lasting Love: Is 6 Years On-And-Off Relationship Worth It?

At least one person is struggling to believe in everlasting love and finds themselves unable to keep faith in something longer than a few months. This person has been in an on-and-off relationship for six years on their search for that special connection, but there’s still the nagging doubt: is it worth it? Six years is undeniably a long time, together or apart, and yet the end goal always seems out of reach for this person.

No matter how long we’ve strayed in our quest for finding lasting love, it’s important to remember that the connection between two people and the path to true companionship can’t end until it begins. To start grasping the keys and secrets of lasting love, first you must develop a better understanding of yourself within the relationship. Self-reflection is necessary to creating a deeper level of appreciation for your individual needs, wants and values. This could be a daunting concept, because you are attempting to find compassion, empathy and understanding while working through difficult phases. It requires patience, but the more you practice, the stronger the bond and the easier it will become to accept the challenges of your partner.

An ongoing on-and-off relationship may be plagued by cycles of commitment and doubt, however there’s power in starting again fresh each time. You have the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned about yourself and about the relationship. Hopefully, after a few healthy attempts at restarting the partnership you’ll discover greater depths and connections to build on. Seeing your partner through new eyes can offer insight into potential you didn’t previously recognize.

It is both admirable and tricky to stay in a relationship that had its own set of obstacles from its inception. Maintaining trust and communication even when times are tough proves the commitment of two people have in each other. However if you start to feel like the flaws in the relationship are too vast to overcome, it’s prudent to examine if you’re avoiding other aspects in your life that make staying together too convenient.

One more concept to internalize is understanding your own wants within the relationship. There will come a time when your individual needs require more than only the comfort of a familiar face; you'll need the energy to challenge yourself and grow without sacrificing the relationship. Committed relationships need to be pushed to new limits for them to thrive. The relationship you want should equally enhance both of your lives and might require you to prioritize parts of yourself as a sacrifice for the relationship. Acknowledge, accept and work through these changes together as a team.

Finally, to address the original worry and answer the question of “is it worth it?” Yes. There are no set rules for the paths two people take. In the long run, and particularly in a relationship with a deep history, signs of effort and hope should not be discarded and forgotten just because of the amount of time invested or perceived doubts. If you’ve reached the point where you need to establish whether the connection is able to sustain itself, recall the keys to lasting love and perhaps you can find your perpetual bond.