With the demise of so many relationships in the news lately (hey, at least Johnny Depp is single now!), the concept of forever love can be pretty daunting and seem damn near impossible. But it’s actually pretty doable, according to a new study. And guess what it takes? Only something you’ve probably been doing already since you learned how to speak! So what’s the secret to forever love?

“Thank you.”

Yup, that’s it. A report says that partners love to feel appreciated, and the more appreciated they feel, the more likely they want to stay in their relationship. So saying “thank you” when your boyfriend helps you with your algebra homework or treats you to pizza and a movie can actually take you a lot closer to forever love than you realize!

While this sounds super easy–hello, it’s called having manners!–it’s actually a lot more rare than people think. Once a couple gets comfortable within a relationship, partners often take one another for granted. Think of it this way: If a guy gets you flowers, you’ll be stoked and say thanks right away, right? But if he does it every single day, you might come to expect it and get a little lax with expressing your gratitude because it’s become routine. Similarly, if you’re always baking cookies for your guy and picking him up from baseball practice, he may forget to say gracias every now and then, leaving you feeling a little crappy, right? Situations like that make forever love seem a little far off.

Aside from having basic manners, how else can you get closer to forever love with the dude you’re into? Mixing things up a bit instead of doing the same stuff all the time may make you guys appreciate one another more, because you’re not stuck in a rut. Instead of the usual burger and a romcom, offer to see his fave action flick instead. Spring for a beach or amusement park day instead of hanging out at the mall. You’ll both be more appreciative of one another–and closer to forever love–if you’re not bored or too used to one another.

Other ways to get forever love? Making eye contact, leaning in when you talk to one another, and giving “comforting touches” are all linked with long-term happiness in relationships. Basically, acting like you actually like each other is a really important part of forever love–and let’s be real, it should be!

Do you always say “thanks” to your boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you believe in forever love? How do you think you can achieve forever love? Tell us in the comments!

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