What can compensate for the loss of passion in a relationship?

• A. Increasing personal independence alone.
• B. Rekindling physical attraction through frequent dating.
• C. Intimacy and commitment may come in to help the relationship survive.
• D. Ending the relationship and starting over.

Answer: (C)

When passion fades, a relationship can still thrive by strengthening intimacy and commitment. Intimacy gives emotional closeness, trust, and safety—the parts of a bond that hold people together even when the initial spark isn’t as bright. Commitment provides a long-term orientation, a decision to stay and work through challenges, which helps the partnership endure. Together, they compensate for the waning of heat by deepening connection and shared purpose. Focusing on personal independence shifts emphasis away from the couple, trying to rekindle attraction with constant dating offers only temporary boosts, and ending the relationship is a separate choice rather than a way to sustain the partnership.