I like to start with examples that everyone knows. Think of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who have been together for more than 30 years. Or David and Victoria Beckham, whose relationship survived fame, tabloids, and the chaos of raising four children. They show us that long-term love is not about perfection, but about teamwork. You see it in their interviews, the way they joke about each other, the way they still show up as partners. That is not a Hollywood script — it’s consistent effort.

In my coaching practice, I’ve also seen the beauty of cross-ethnic marriages. A British man I worked with met his wife from Brazil online more than a decade ago. They told me their families worried about cultural differences, but instead of dividing them, those differences made their bond richer. They learned each other’s languages, cooked each other’s traditional dishes, and celebrated twice as many holidays. What began as a “challenge” became a source of joy.

Sometimes I even take this curiosity to the streets. I once asked random people on a busy street corner in New York: “What’s your secret for staying together?” The answers made me laugh and think. One older woman shouted, “Separate TVs!” while her husband nodded behind her. Another couple said, “Never stop going on little dates.” It reminded me that wisdom is everywhere — not just in psychology books.

And yes, British scientists really did study this. A 2019 survey in the UK found that couples who regularly express gratitude to each other are more satisfied and more likely to stay together long-term. Gratitude, it seems, is not just polite — it’s glue for relationships.

From my own observation, many of the most inspiring couples I’ve met actually started online. One pair told me their first conversation on a dating app lasted for hours about the silliest topic — pizza toppings. Years later, they are married, raising two children, and still joke about who gets the last slice. Another couple I know met in a video game chat room. Now they’ve been together for 15 years, proving that love doesn’t care if it begins on a city street, in a café, or behind a keyboard.

What I see over and over is this: the couples who last don’t just love each other — they like each other. They stay curious, they laugh at mistakes, they support each other’s growth. They know the relationship is not a finished product but an ongoing project.

So here are my simple but powerful tips: keep talking, keep laughing, keep surprising each other, and above all, keep showing gratitude. Love is less about “finding the right person” and more about “being the right partner.”

And if you’re still searching for someone to share your story with, I’ve found a platform that I really like for meeting people.