However, keep in mind that you are seeing only the public image of the relationship. You don't see the work that goes on behind closed doors. All relationships take effort to be successful, especially great love stories.

Would you like to make your relationship the greatest love story ever? Of course you would; everyone would. If you would, just keep reading along and learn how to do it. Before you know it, you will be transforming your good relationship into a great one.Learn from Happy Couples.

The best way to learn about how to have the greatest love story ever is to listen to how other happy couples do it. All you have to do is ask or read about happy couples, and you will learnthe tricks. For instance, in the book The 30 Secrets of Happily Married Couples, author Paul Coleman tells how happy couples stay happy. His findings are based on many research studieson marital happiness. Basically, his 30 secrets can be summarized into three main goals that all couples should have:

• Practice good communication. Communication skills include considering the part you play in the problem, trying not to be defensive, and seeingthe issue from your partner's perspective.
  

• Have realistic expectations for a long relationship. Realize that change involves ups and downs and appreciate the effect that major changes,such as having children, will have on your relationship.
  

• Make time for each other. Make regular dates, have fun together,and take every opportunity to be affectionate.
  

These three goals sound like such a simple recipe for living happily ever after, but they require something that many people forget: daily commitment.