Many of us want to be in happy and meaningful relationships, but nowadays in a dating scene plagued with superficiality and an abundance of choices, making a relationship long-term while staying sane is much easier said than done.
The initial spark is great, but it takes much more than attraction to sustain a relationship. What are some ways we can keep a healthy relationship and ensure longevity with our partners, you may ask?
Here are 12 signs you are in a healthy relationship.
1. Open Communication
A great relationship starts with transparency.
Do you feel like you can communicate about anything with your partner from personal needs to taboo topics? Do both of you take the time to listen and empathize with each other?
Good communication means using assertive techniques, which include welcoming body language, concentrative listening, and respectful language.
2. Arguing
This might sound strange, but arguing sometimes is healthy in a relationship. Otherwise, you’re probably just bottling up your feelings and letting them turn into resentment.
Couples who communicate well can argue effectively, both parties can state their opinions while trying to understand where the other person is coming from. They also know when to apologize when they are wrong.
This point, however, shouldn’t be confused with destructive fighting, in which couples use aggressive behavior and language to hurt each other when they disagree about an issue.
3. Keep Relationship Details Private
It’s normal to turn to close friends and family for relationship advice when you run into conflict with your partner.
Making your problems public on social media is passive-aggressive and can damage the trust you’ve built with them.
Everyone needs a sense of privacy to feel safe, including relationships.
4. Don’t Hold Grudges
The more you get to know your partner, the more you may get on each other’s nerves which is normal.
We all get a little agitated from time to time and say and do things we don’t mean that can upset our partners. But holding a grudge even after they apologized sincerely can hurt your relationship in the long run.
Be sure to talk things out instead, when you’re upset, and learn to let go.
5. Having Realistic Expectations
The perfect partner doesn’t exist.
It takes a lot of work to keep a relationship going. Healthy couples understand that the key to a long-lasting relationship is commitment, open communication, and compromise.
6. Taking Time and Space for Yourself
Being in a healthy relationship doesn’t mean you’re glued at the hip.
It simply means you can have separate lives, interests, and friends, and maintain your sense of individuality without fearing that your partner is going to be jealous or resentful.
Having a life outside of a relationship is essential.
7. Learning to Trust Each Other
Healthy couples can spend time away from each other without worrying about their whereabouts or who they’re with.
Stalking a partner on social media and asking them for constant updates, are signs of trust issues or codependency.
Trust means respecting your partner’s decisions and feeling secure.
8. Enjoy Spending Time Together
Whether it’s dinner dates or cuddling on the couch, you enjoy spending time with your partner no matter what.
A healthy relationship involves taking time out of your busy schedule to connect with your partner. It’s not just an obligation, but a way for you to enjoy life.
9. You’re Friends
Great couples share common interests and enjoy hanging out together and making each other laugh.
Just like best friends, healthy couples can talk about anything, you confide in each other without fear of judgment.
It’s important to feel comfortable with your partner.
10. Making Decisions Together
Healthy relationships aren’t a power struggle.
They are a partnership that allows both individuals to have equal say. If you disagree on which restaurant to go to for your date, one of you may have to give in but next weekend, the choice should be yours, compromise is key.
11. Getting Intimate
Yes, sex is extremely beneficial in healthy relationships but so is intimacy.
Intimacy can be bonding, sexually or otherwise, familiarity or romance. Maintaining a healthy relationship means courting your partner with affection, quality time, gift giving, or other forms of love language.
12. Make Each Other Better
Fixing is not the same as supporting.
Healthy relationships consist of couples that love one another for who they are, not who they want them to be.
Are these things that you and your partner regularly practice? If not, find out below if your relationship is worth fighting for.
7 Signs Your Partner Is Worth Fighting For
Are you worried about conflict and friction in your relationship? Have you started asking yourself whether or not the relationship is worth it?
Stressful circumstances can make even the strongest and happiest of couples, second guess the relationship. No matter how much you might love someone, or how strong your desire to be with them is, there will still be times that might make you stop and consider whether or not your relationship can go the distance.
Here are seven definitive signs that can help you realize whether or not someone is worth fighting for.
1. They make you happy
When we find someone who makes us happy, we want to do everything that we can to keep this person in our lives.
Numerous studies have found that having close and meaningful relationships with the people around us is integral to a greater quality of life, and stronger feelings of overall contentment and satisfaction.
These kinds of special bonds with people are exhibited in friends or romantic partners who make you smile and feel good about yourself. These types of strong positive relationships can last a lifetime.
2. You can talk to them about anything
Honesty and openness are the foundation of loving and healthy relationships.
Do you truly feel like you can talk to your partner about anything from your deepest, darkest secrets to all your hopes and dreams?
If so, then it shows that there’s a deep sense of trust and understanding, and acceptance between the two of you. And that kind of connection is rare to find.
3. You love spending time with them
Do you enjoy spending time with your partner? Do you look forward to seeing them and being around them even if you’re not planning on doing anything particularly fun or exciting?
If you answered yes, then it shows that what you have with this person is special because you enjoy their company and you feel good about being around them.
You’re content with a Monday because as long as your tour together you always have a good time. A relationship like this with your partner is easy, comfortable, and definitely worth holding on to.
4. You can be yourself around them
Another great reason why you should fight for someone is if they make you feel like you’re free to be yourself around them.
They accept you and love you just the way you are so you feel safe letting your guard down with them. They never make you feel like you’re not good enough or that you need to try hard to impress them or that you should change yourself just to please them.
They bring out the best in you and when you’re around them you have the freedom to be your truest, most authentic self.
5. You agree to disagree
Do you believe that couples should strive to have as little conflict as possible to keep their relationship strong?
Well, the truth is, constructive conflict is actually a good thing. When you and your partner can agree to disagree about things, it shows that you’re both mature enough to handle your problems without resorting to fighting, name-calling, and passive-aggressive behaviors.
Agreeing to disagree shows that you prioritize your relationship over your desire to be right. It shows that you’re willing to set your pride aside for your partner and vice versa. You respect each other’s differences and value one another’s opinions which is a very good sign that you’re with the right person.
6. You share the same core values
Do you and your partner have different views and opinions on things?
That’s okay as long as you share the same core values. Core values are defined as the fundamental beliefs a person upholds, these are guiding principles that help dictate behavior and understanding of the difference between right and wrong.
Investing in a relationship with someone whose values are not aligned with yours generally leads to increased disagreements, misunderstandings, and resentment over time. However, if you and your partner believe in the same core values, then it’ll be easier to maintain a healthy relationship with them despite the challenges you might have to face together.
7. You help each other grow
Is your partner dependable and encouraging? Do they boost your confidence and push you towards achieving your goals because of how much they believe in you?
Do they make you want to be a better person because of the wonderful example that they set for you?
A relationship where you help each other grow and change for the better is a relationship worth fighting for. Finding a partner who not only loves and supports you but also challenges you, can help you become the best possible version of yourself. Falling in love and making a genuine healthy emotional connection with someone isn’t something that happens too often.
Do any of these signs make you realize that your relationship is worth fighting for?
—
This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
***
You might also like these from The Good Men Project:
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: Shutterstock
