What Are the Signs of a Healthy Relationship?
Love is blind, so how do you know you are in a healthy relationship, what are signs of a healthy relationship. The beginnings of a new relationship are foggy. You think everything just feels right and your partner is the best in the whole world. You view everything with rose colored glasses and it is easy to miss red flags and realize blind spots at this time. Given all this, how can you then make sure that you are in a good and healthy relationship? How do you tell that it is actually a healthy relationship and you are just not ignoring the red flags because you are caught up in love? There are many factors that make up a good healthy relationship.
A good relationship can simply be one that brings out the best in you and while everyone’s relationship is bound to be different, we all deserve a relationship that involves honesty, trust, respect and open communication. To determine if your relationship has all these, here are some of the signs of a healthy relationship to look out for:
You Trust Each Other
Trust is one of the sure-fire signs of a healthy relationship. When you trust your partner and they also trust you, you can rely on them and feel safe exposing yourself emotionally, mentally and physically having confidence in them. You both trust each no matter how and with whom you spend your time with.
Building trust will require you engage in mutual self-disclosure and to continue maintaining this trust, you have to be consistent in what you do and say. If you feel that you have to lie or hide things from your significant other this is probably because you lack the trust in each other. Trust is a sign of a healthy relationship because the relationship becomes a source of comfort and security and you feel fully accepted.
Mutual Respect In A Healthy Relationship
What does it mean to respect your partner? When both of you understand and accept that you are unique individuals with needs, interests and life experiences that are separate from each other but you work together when either of these things conflict, this means you respect each other. You see your partner as their own person and do not belittle or demean one another. Mutual respect is one of the signs of a healthy relationship and will involve listening to one another, being understanding, taking interest in things that your partner enjoys and giving each other a chance to have your own individuality.
Honest Communication
When you and your partner feel comfortable expressing your feelings and thoughts openly and honestly to each other, this is a sure sign of a healthy relationship. This is because when you foster open and honest communication, you will both feel heard and will manage conflict in a healthy and constructive manner without engaging in name calling, belittling words or behavior, blame and assumptions. Besides, openness and honesty when communication with your partner will help you feel that you can be yourself in the relationship and increases your connection and trust with each other. Therefore, though avoiding conflict may seem like its healthy, it is a quick way to build resentment. Instead, having open and honest communication to effectively resolve differences in their opinion and also to establish healthy boundaries that both of you feel comfortable with.
You are Equal Partners in the Relationship
When determining if you are in a healthy relationship, one way to do so is to check if both of you have a say in the relationship. This ranges from the minor things to the major decisions. If you make decisions together, then you view each other as equals and neither of you sees themselves as the better person or as the person with the most power. Moreover, it also means that you contribute your fair share, collaborating effectively.
Sex In Your Healthy Relationship
This is something that each relationship sets for themselves as there cannot be a one take for all. Physical intimacy is one of the signs of a healthy relationship. However, it is never a constant thing and in some relationships, the presence or lack of sex does is not a major priority. However, for the relationship to work, you and your partner should be able to talk openly about your desires and sexual needs without feeling shamed, dismissed or disgusting. Understanding each other’s physical needs is therefore one of the hallmarks of a great and healthy relationship.
Affection
When a relationship is beginning, the passion and love may feel so intense that you may be deluded that this will be the case over the years. However, though passion does decline a little, developing compassionate love after the intensity of the early feelings wanes will deepen your intimacy as your relationship progresses. Mutual affection therefore should be present for your relationship to be healthy and each of you should be content with the affection you share with and express for each other.
You Have Fun Together
Aside from all of the above, one of the signs of a healthy relationship is the ability to have fun together. If you enjoy each other’s company and make time to spend time with each other and have fun most of the time, then this indicates that your relationship is healthy. This does not mean that you are always super happy – this is unrealistic, but that you enjoy each other and take advantage of opportunities to have fun with each other.
A healthy relationship is important as it contributes positively to your wellbeing. Hopefully, you and your partner take time to cultivate the factors that make a healthy relationship and feel like you can be your very best selves.
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