It is important that your boyfriend or girlfriend is a good listener and does so sincerely.

Being a good listener is a big part of what makes a relationship work.

When you are a good listener, your boyfriend or girlfriend is not only a lover, but a friend that can be confided in.

A partner that is a friend is conducive to a happy and enjoyable relationship.

A partner that knows he can come to you with any issue that is bothering him, is a happy partner.

When a partner isn’t comfortable with coming to you about an issue that is bothering him, thinking that you won’t listen to him nor care, he is more susceptible to looking to someone else to talk to about these issues.

A partner that confides in someone else whenever he needs someone to listen to him, is going to look at you as nothing more than a person that he has a physical relationship with.

Once you get to this point, your partner becomes increasingly closed off emotionally.

This is when the relationship takes a major turn for the worse.

Eventually, your partner wants to get out of the relationship, believing that his emotional needs aren’t being met.

Being a good listener in a relationship doesn’t mean that you have to give advice either.

Don’t think that you are obligated to give advice.

The danger of believing that you have to give advice is in giving the wrong advice, or you in telling your partner what he wants to hear.

If this were the case, you only make matters worse.

Therefore, don’t think that you are obligated to give advice.

Oftentimes, just being there as a partner who is listening and showing affection and concern is enough.

Be this person without putting pressure on yourself to come up with a solution to what your partner is telling you about.

Your task is to be there and listen, nothing more.

Now, if your partner were to ask you for advice, don’t be afraid or hesitant to tell your partner that you don’t have a solution at this time.

If you aren’t certain of what next course to take, let your partner know that.

Your partner is going to appreciate the fact that you are being honest.

This doesn’t mean that a solution cannot come about later on.

Give it day or two to think through what a good remedy is.

It is uncanny how a solution can come to you after the fact.

Giving advice in the heat of the moment puts you at risk of providing advice with the sole intent of appeasing your partner or alleviating your partner’s anxiety.

This is where you are speaking out of emotion, which isn’t beneficial to either party.

On the other hand, when you have thought about it over for a day or two, you come up with advice that is informed and well-thought-out.

You are reasoning with a clearer head, instead of emotion.

This invites the best solutions.