If you've been a single girl for much too long, you know how tough the dating world could be and how hard it is to get yourself a good man. Of course, when you finally snag yourself a rare find, you'll do anything to make the relationship work. You want to make sure that you keep the flame and the passion burning, as well as the conversation and laughter flowing. Suffice to say, you want to maintain a relationship that's as happy as possible.

Give Space

You might want to spend a lot of time with your man. Chances are he does, too. This is a good thing. For a man, however, too much of a good thing can be suffocating and just downright overwhelming. That's why a lot of men suddenly clamp up and close down and can be very distant when you're spending way too much time together.

The best way to keep your man wanting to spend time with you is to make it his choice. Meaning, you have to give him the space that he needs to breathe, to be with his buddies, and to do his 'thing'. It may seem like a hard thing to do, so why not use the time to do the things that you want to do? Chances are he'll find himself realizing that he misses you and really wants to spend time with you - and no one else - after all.

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

In every relationship, there will be some things that you can't agree on, some attitudes and habits that you don't like, and some facts that can be hard to accept. A common mistake that women make is nagging and blowing things out of proportion when they can't get their way - and that's a surefire way to get your man running for the hills.

If you can't agree, then agree to disagree. After all, you're both not grown from the same pod, so you can't be expected to think alike all the time. It's best to avoid topics that you know you can't agree on and focus on the things that you both find mutually pleasing.

Everybody has bad habits, and most men particularly have many. If your man has a bad habit or an attitude that annoys you, bring it up in the most unobtrusive way possible. This way, you can talk about it and maybe arrive at a compromise. Nagging will only make things infinitely worse.

You also have to accept the fact that your man has a past, just like you. If you're irked at ex-girlfriends or certain things that he's done in the past, let it go. You weren't in the picture back then, so that shouldn't concern you - just as your past doesn't concern him. It's a difficult thing to do, but one that must be done for both your sake and your own sanity.

Indeed, it may seem like men and women are from two different planets, but differences can be bridged. Making a relationship work is simply a matter of acceptance, trust, a lot of patience, and compromise.