Don't prioritize your own needs in relationships.

I've spoken with numerous therapists about managing relationship difficulties and discovered that their advice is typically quite consistent: communicate, compromise, and express gratitude.

Some guidance, though, felt less intuitive and even more helpful than some of the popular platitudes.

Here are five surprising pieces of advice, from relationship and family therapists.

1. Don't hyper-fixate on your own needs.

"According to Lisa Marie Bobby, a relationship psychologist and founder of Growing Self Counseling & Coaching in Denver, people in long-term relationships may stop enjoying their relationship when they become overly focused on their own needs and experiences. They tend to neglect asking, "What's it like to be with me?""

During times of conflict, it is especially important, says Vienna Pharaon, a marriage and family therapist and author of "The Origins of You."

""Ensure that their feelings are just as important as your own in conflict," she advises."

2. Don't rely on your partner to be your everything.

According to Dené Logan, a marriage and family therapist and author of "Sovereign Love," people often overlook the importance of community within a partnership. They assume that their partner can meet all their relational needs, which is impossible for any single individual.

"We cannot expect one person to do everything for us and we are setting them up for failure when we ask them to," she says.

Don't rely solely on your partner for connection; stay in touch with your friends and family to maintain a diverse social circle.

3. Swap enmeshment for individuation.

Bobby advises emphasizing individuality and valuing our differences, while also supporting one another in our unique perspectives.

Not having the same interests or hobbies as your partner can be liberating and beneficial.

"Listening and understanding with a higher commitment can make people feel more loved, cared for, and supported for who they are, rather than being made to feel like their partner wants them to be someone different," she says.

4. Act as if your partner doesn't belong to you.

According to Logan, the two most common issues in couples are a lack of authenticity and entitlement, or taking each other for granted.

Consistently plan and spend time with your partner to show them that you value your relationship.

5. Love is not a feeling.

Bobby says that people in long-term relationships may experience a crash and burn when the relationship begins to feel different from the beginning, as they may fall into a false belief that something is terribly wrong when it's actually a perfectly healthy and fantastic relationship.

The initial excitement should turn into a subtle but strong attachment.

Just because your feelings change doesn't mean you have less affection, Bobby says.

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