This Valentine's Day, I'm reminded of how incredibly lucky I am. Not only do I have love in my life, but I've been blessed enough to have had a happy relationship for more than three years with an amazing man. I'm no expert on relationships; I'm on this crazy ride called love, and I'm still experiencing the ups and downs like anyone else. But over the years, I've learned a few things about myself and about my relationship. 

While Valentine's Day is a nice excuse for date night and flowers, it shouldn't actually mean anything significant to you if you are already in a long-term, committed relationship. Valentine's Day is just another one of the 365 days a year when you get to express your love. With that in mind, below are my 8 tips for maintaining a happy and healthy relationship all year round. 

Maybe it's because I'm a girl, but I always struggle with finding the perfect gift for the men in my life. Are men in general just difficult to shop for? 

When I found myself stumped as to what to get my boyfriend recently, I didn't know of anything he necessarily wanted at the time, but plenty of things that he likes. So, I created a personalized, thoughtful "man bouquet" full of all his favorite things. It turned out to be a pretty simple gift to put together, and of course he loved it! With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is definitely a gift type that I will be exploring for my dad, brother and uncles as well! 

Bachelorette: Season 10, Episode 6
---SPOILER ALERT---

On tonight's episode of The Bachelorette, Andi took the guys on a romantic date in Italy... to take a lie detector test. While it might be a fun, random game to play with your friends or your significant other on a boring evening, it seemed inappropriate in this situation. When you're in a relationship with 8 men, and you constantly emphasize the importance of honesty, it sends a pretty big message that you don't practice what you preach. 

I know this because I've personally experienced the beauty of honesty and truth in a relationship...