Relationships can be complicated. That’s something that’s no shock to anyone. Your relationship with your partner will have its highs and lows, but the important part is to have a relationship that is healthy on average.
While there is some subjectivity into what makes a relationship healthy versus unhealthy, there are several steps that most will agree can help improve the health of your relationship.
Let’s get into them.
Healthy Conflict Management
You are going to have conflict in your relationship. Even if you think your partner is just like you, you’re going to end up getting into a fight eventually.
If you’re someone who feels like they have to “win” a conflict, or if you’re someone who keeps your conflicts bottled up, you are going to have trouble managing conflict.
- Learning how to manage conflict can improve your relationship quite a bit. The steps you should take can depend from person to person, but there are several steps you should consider.
- Don’t think of conflict as something you should win. Listen to the other side and see if there’s some middle ground you can take. Put yourself in the shoes of your partner.
- Don’t keep conflicts bottled up. You usually end up exploding on your partner. Avoiding conflict just to keep the peace rarely works.
- Avoid discussing a conflict when you feel in a bad mood.
- Finally, there is no shame in talking to a counselor if you feel the conflict cannot be resolved.
- Sometimes, the perspective of someone who is neutral may be the solution you need.
Shared Goals
Another way to keep your relationship alive is to have some goals that you share. For some, these goals can include saving up to buy a house or going on vacation.
Of course, it is possible to have goals exclusive to you but try to avoid anything that can interfere with your relationship. Make a plan, and take the steps needed to move on up with those goals. Should you run into a snag, plan with your partner some more.
Personal Space
Even if you feel like you do everything together, there may be times where you feel like you need a little bit of space. There is nothing wrong with this. Whether you want to play video games by yourself or go out with your friends, you don’t need to do everything with your partner.
Personal space can also refer to boundaries. Sometimes, you or your partner may not want to be spoken to or touched, and that’s fine. Respecting your partner’s personal space is just one way for you to have a happy relationship.
Health
Another way for you to improve your relationship health is to improve your own physical and mental health. For one thing, staying in shape can improve your sleep quality, which can put you in a better mood. If you feel depressed, seeking treatment for that can keep your relationship going.
A good partner will be there in sickness, but you must learn how to keep yourself healthy as well.
Financial Harmony
Finances are another important part of a relationship. There are many people who don’t want to talk about finances, but they are essential. Many people end their relationships due to financial dishonesty, so laying out your debts, how much money you make, and how you can save money are great ways to improve relationship health.
This is a case where you may want to speak to an accountant or another professional who deals with money. This can allow you to improve your financial health overall.
Trust
Trust is an important part of a relationship, and it’s something that is volatile. You can spend a long time building up trust, and then one thing causes it to come crashing down. Sometimes, it’s not something as drastic as cheating, either.
Lying about anything can break one’s trust. Even a white lie. That’s why it’s important to be as trustworthy to your partner as possible. Should you do anything to break one’s trust, rebuilding that trust is key. It is something that can take a while to rebuild, so please be patient.
Counseling
Finally, a healthy relationship can involve counseling. There are many who, reasonably, associate counseling with a marriage that is falling apart.
However, many people who are healthy may end up seeking relationship counseling to maintain the harmony of that relationship. For example, taking premarital counseling can prepare you for the world of marriage. Seeking counseling yearly can help as well to keep the relationship chugging along.
If you are busy, you can look for online therapy resources to help you maintain your relationship health. Why not click the link below and see how you can improve your relationship?
https://www.mind-diagnostics.org/blog/relationship-health
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