To maintain a relationship after cheating can be a very difficult task for younger unmarried couples immediately after breaking off the relationship, while married couples attempt to struggle through it and sometimes the relationship ends up in a bitter divorce. However, not all people want to end the relationship after an affair and still hope that there is a way of saving it. Here are some ways by which you can get back on track:


Tips on how to restore your relationship to its former glory after cheating

• First and foremost, find out if both parties are still willing to save the relationship. If one party wants to move out, then there is no point in wasting time figuring out what happened but rather each should prepare to move on to different things.

• Find out the reason why the other party felt discontent in the relationship in the first place. You should do this together as a couple and if you are the cheating party, try and be honest with your partner about your reasons for cheating. You can then work to improve the situation so that whatever the stimulus was, it is removed to avoid further occurrences in the future.

• While you may be angry, do not lose your temper if you are the victim. Instead, find a third party where you can go to talk and help iron out your issues. Individual counseling is also good as you can take care of yourself and really determine whether you are willing to put in the effort it will require to save the relationship.

• If you are the cheater, be apologetic and sincere. Do not at any one time however follow your apologies with an excuse of any sort whether true or otherwise. This will only make your partner think that you are trying to justify the affair and they may change their minds about staying with you.

• As the victim, be honest about your feelings, but also remember that if you decide to stay in the relationship, you have to forgive your partner and try to forget what has happened. This is hard but it is the only road you can take if you are to build back the trust. If you are not prepared to do this and instead remind your partner daily of what they did, then it is better to opt out of the relationship now.

• Both partners should talk about what they expect and what they want from the relationship in the future. The victim should express what they expect from the partner while the cheater should promise to never stray again and adhere to this. Initially, your partner may get jealous whenever they see you with other people but this is something you have to live with until they are able to trust you again.

• If you want the relationship to survive the first weeks of recovery, cut off complete contact with the person you cheated with. Any form of contact, even the slightest, may cause your partner to become suspicious. In the case where the affair yielded a child, then all communications with the other party has to be done in the presence of your partner, so that they are kept aware of what is happening and can begin to trust you again.