But before you start questioning if your relationship stacks up to the ideals you’re seeing online – take a pause. All those handsome and romantic couples you’re seeing online are just one version relationship bliss. After all, no-one ever put the pictures of their arguments on Insta.

Truth is, your relationship is probably already full of #CoupleGoals, you just don’t realise it yet. Let’s take a look at the 10 couple goals that you should actually aspire to if you want a relationship that’ll last a lifetime.

If you’re going to spend a lifetime with someone, you need to foster a relationship that can handle honesty. That means speaking up when something’s not working for you, or when you’re feeling irritated or let down by something your partner is doing. It’s only by communicating honestly through the natural ups and downs of a relationship that you’ll be able to establish a healthy dynamic that works for both of you.

Trust is the beating heart of a healthy relationship. Learning how to trust one another unconditionally is an essential part of a lifelong relationship. You need to know that, come what may, you’ll always have each other’s backs, and that you never need to fear being let down. When you get that, it’s golden.

We are all weird and wonderful in our own ways. True couple goals is finding someone who not only embraces, but shares in your weirdness. 

If you find yourself sending a little text to make sure you’re significant other got home safe, or you stick up for one another when sh** hits the fan – you’re onto a real couple goals winner. Looking out for each other’s safety and wellbeing is a really important part of a committed relationship, so if you have that – you gots a keeper.

To nurture a healthy relationship, you also need to be emotionally and socially independent enough that you can ‘make it’ alone. It can be very easy to rely on your SO for all your emotional needs. But to make things work in the long run, it’s important you can also depend on yourself too. If you can make a long distance relationship work – that’s ultimate couple goals.

Arguing is a really normal part of any relationship. Letting an argument fester for days without talking isn’t. If you can manage to work through your differences so that you never go to sleep on an argument – well, that’s couple goals. It means you respect each other enough to avoid unnecessary heartache, and that you value your relationship enough to make it work.

Every relationship requires a little sacrifice here and there. That can be anything from giving up one of your free nights to do something that’s important to your partner, through to maybe moving to another city for them. Making compromises is an important part of the process of two lives becoming one, and shows that you’re willing to put in what it takes to make one another happy.

If your conversations move from the superficial to the deep and meaningful – you’re in true couple goals territory. This is a sign that you have a deep connection, that you want to bare all with each other, and that you’re not afraid to disagree. 

Having the type of relationship that doesn’t require you to always be ‘on’ is a really great sign. If you can comfortably enjoy being together without talking, or do nothing and still have a great time – that’s definitely relationship goals.

Those ‘in jokes’ that you guys have – those are total couple goals. You know that feeling when you see something that only they would get and find as funny as you? Yep – that’s the sweet stuff. Developing these personal jokes are a sign that you have a great relationship, and that you’re building your own reality together.

Screw comparing yourself to other couples. True couple goals are the little insignificant things that happen every day. They’re the beautiful moments that happen in between the passionate, exciting moments. Look out for them and treasure them when they happen.