Quotes on keeping a relationship alive are a great way to stay engaged and committed in your relationship or marriage.

Next time you feel your love dwindling or the frustration building, pull out these quotes and corresponding prompts and questions, and put this activity into practice!

That way, you’re nurturing your love and ensuring it will thrive and last, regardless of what comes your way.

Quotes on keeping a relationship alive (read part one here):

1. “Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” ~ Henry Winkler

Question: Pause a moment the next time you find yourself making an assumption about your partner, and try asking them about it instead. One example might be: you think you know how they feel about a certain kind of food, movie genre, or political issue, but do you really? Maybe they’ve changed their opinion, recently.

2. “I can’t promise that in our relationship you won’t face any problems, but I surely can promise that you won’t face them alone!” ~ Rose Hathaway

Question: What’s something you do to demonstrate to your partner that you’ll support and encourage them when life gets tough?

3. “The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.” ~ Henry Miller

Question: What do you feel is the most effective way for someone to show you they love you—and how do you prefer to show love? Be sure to communicate this with your partner and ask them the same.

4. “We wanted the freedom to love. We wanted the freedom to choose. Now we have to fight for it.” ~ Lauren Oliver, “Requiem”

Prompt: What’s something you can do in one minute or less to help lift up your relationship when things are difficult? For example, a minute-long hug or series of kisses, a sincere compliment, a brief massage, or simply taking the time to listen to your partner when they’re sharing their feelings.

5. “In the end there doesn’t have to be anyone who understands you. There just has to be someone who wants to.” ~ Robert Breault

Prompt: When you and your partner clearly disagree on something, take a moment to think about where your partner is coming from—and ask them to do the same.

6. “Trouble is part of your life, and if you don’t share it, you don’t give the person who loves you enough chance to love you enough.” ~ Dinah Shore

Prompt: Talk to your partner about something that’s made you sad or frustrated recently.

7. “Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.” ~ Gloria Steinem

Question: What’s something you can do to show support and consideration for your partner right now?

8. “Never close your lips to those whom you have already opened your heart.” ~ Charles Dickens

Question: The way you communicate in a relationship is essential to the relationship excelling. Do you feel as though you’ve been struggling to communicate verbally recently? If so, what changes can you make to help solve that?

9. “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” ~ Bryant H. McGill

Question: If your partner does something for which they need to apologize, how do you prefer that they ask for forgiveness?

10. “I acted like it wasn’t a big deal when it was breaking my heart.” ~ Unknown

Question: Do you find yourself pulling away from your partner instead of talking about your feelings? If so, what can you do differently the next time?

11. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ~ Lao Tzu

Prompt: Sometimes, love can be scary and make us feel vulnerable, and that’s okay. But if you try sharing your concerns and hesitations with your partner, you might start feeling safe rather than scared.

12. “Problems in relationship occur because each person is focusing on what is missing in the other person.” ~ Wayne Dyer

Question: Do you ever treat your relationship like a competition—worried about who is right versus who is wrong? If so, take some time to reflect on why you feel being right is so important, and if it’s worth risking your connection.

13. “A great relationship doesn’t happen because of the love you had in the beginning, but how well you continue building love until the end.” ~ Unknown

Prompt: If you woke up tomorrow and your relationship was over, what’s something you would do today to know you’d given it your best shot?

14. “A successful relationship requires falling in love multiple times, but always with the same person.” ~ Unknown

Question: Think back to when you feel the most in love with your partner. What do you think you could do to feel this way more often?

15. “Never leave a true relationship for a few faults. Nobody is perfect, nobody is correct, and in the end, affection is always greater than perfection.” ~ Unknown

Question: What’s something you can do in one minute or less to help lift up your relationship when things are difficult? For example, a minute-long hug or series of kisses, a sincere compliment, a brief massage, or simply taking the time to listen to your partner when they’re sharing their feelings.

16. “Don’t worry when I fight with you, worry when I stop because it means there’s nothing left for us to fight for.” ~ Unknown

Prompt: Try to express your love to your partner without actually using the word “love.”

17. “Real love doesn’t meet you at your best. It meets you in your mess.” ~ Unknown

Prompt: Can you think of a time when you’ve felt concerned, anxious, stressed, or unattractive, yet your partner shows you unconditional love and encouragement? When you start to feel upset, think back to that moment and revel in it.

18. “A strong relationship requires choosing to love each other, even in those moments when you struggle to like each other.” ~ Unknown

Question: Can you remember the first thing you liked or found attractive in your partner? Share this tidbit with them and see how it ignites a spark and further unites the two of you!

19. “Hidden resentments poison a relationship; so if something bothers you, say it.” ~ Unknown

Prompt: Do you feel as though something’s felt off in your relationship recently? The next time you both feel good and have a moment, be sure to discuss this.

20. “Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.” ~ Hugh Mackay

Prompt: If you’re looking through social media and see what you think is the ideal relationship, remember that nothing is perfect—and that everyone has obstacles.

21. “A ‘perfect marriage’ is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other.” ~ Unknown

Question: Build a routine that nurtures your relationship and encourages your bond—and follow through with it the next time you find yourself irritated at each other.

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