This article originally appeared in Well+Good.
Similar in vein to a fountain of youth, the notion of there being secrets of relationships for long-lasting happiness feels like not much more than folklore. After all, people are different, have different needs and preferences, and are interested in varying relationship structures. According to new research though, while there may not be a single secret, certain commonalities between successful, happy unions may well exist.
When researchers examined 43 relationship studies to analyze 11,196 romantic relationships, they hoped to draw conclusions about the secrets of relationships for long, happy unions. They ultimately found five commonalities among successful couples: perceived partner commitment, appreciation, sexual satisfaction, perceived partner satisfaction, and how well conflict is dealt with. Collect all five, and you’ll win the relationship jackpot, it seems.