8 Signs Of A Healthy Relationship Every Strong Couple Shares
The signs of an unhealthy relationship are pretty easy to spot, although they can go ignored occasionally by those in bad relationships. Sometimes we can become so hyper-focused on what is going wrong in relationships that we fail to see what makes good relationships great.
It is important to be able to recognize your healthy relationship and keep doing what is working.
Healthy relationships consists of simple, basic elements that are needed for each individual in the relationship to feel complete and happy. It seems so simple, but if you are with the wrong person it will be difficult to have a happy, healthy relationship.
Signs Of A Healthy Relationship
Trust and Honesty
Trust and honesty are the pillars of a healthy relationship. You should be able to be honest with your partner and trust what they are telling you and what they are doing when you two are apart. Being reliable and truthful, and holding yourselves accountable to each other, sets a strong foundation for an everlasting partnership and a healthy, happy relationship.
Free To Disagree/Compromise
In a healthy relationship, you will feel safe and comfortable disagreeing with your partner and finding common ground. Unless you are sharing a brain, you are going to have your own thoughts and opinions, and sometimes they will not be the same as your mate's, and that's okay. Or at least it should be okay.
There should not be fear that your partner will be angry or hold it against you that you occasionally disagree with them, or that you voice your opinion.
Separate Hobbies/Individuality
In a healthy relationship, you recognize the importance of having friends and hobbies outside of the relationship, and are comfortable doing things separately at times. If you are with the right one, you will have plenty in common, but there are things you will want and need to do with others.
When you come back together after having time apart, you will have missed each other and have interesting stories to share.
Friendship/Equality
A healthy relationship starts with a great friendship. You should truly like one another and enjoy each other's company. You have great talks, loads of things in common, and shared interests.
You are best friends, although you both still have other good friends. Your partner is the first person you want to share good news with, you vent to them, and cry on their shoulder when you are feeling sad or frustrated.
You Have Fun Together/Mutual Respect
In a healthy relationship you enjoy being together and have fun. You should be able to completely be yourself. You can be silly, and dorky, and cute and corny and there is no fear of judgement. You have lots of laughs, a similar sense of humor, and laugh at the same things.
Biggest Fans/Support
In a healthy relationship, your partner will be your biggest supporter, encourager, and fan. When you love someone you want to see them do well, and only want the best for them. Your partner should want to see you succeed in your career, your education, and the following of your dreams, within reason.
You Give Each Other Space/Healthy Boundaries
No matter how in love you are, everyone needs their alone time at some point. Respecting each other's right to physical and emotional space, including privacy, is important for a healthy relationship. I promise you, they are not going to fall out of love with you just because they spent a few hours reading or at the gym without you. They will actually appreciate and miss you more.
You Can Talk To Them/Open Communication
In a healthy relationship, open communication not only occurs regularly but is encouraged. You and your partner should feel comfortable expressing your thoughts and feelings without fear of being shut down. Active listening and hearing your partner out is also part of healthy communication. No relationship is perfect, and if you can’t talk about it, you can’t fix it.
As I said, it seems simple, but finding the right person to have a healthy relationship with is hard. It takes self-reflection, understanding your wants and needs, and a whole lot of patience. It is very easy to spot a bad relationship, and when things are not working, but what about the healthy relationships that are working?
If you are in a healthy relationship, recognize it for what it is, appreciate it, and continue to keep that relationship strong. If you do not have all the elements of a healthy relationship, you and your partner can actively work on improving it. What are your thoughts on healthy relationships? What signs do you look for in a healthy relationship? Please share your thoughts and experience!
"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
- Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger In A Strange Land
