What are the first words that come to your mind when someone says: relationship? Are they: love, respect, care, communication? When someone says the word relationship, most people think about a happy and healthy romantic relationship. And that’s it! Healthy relationships bring out the best in you and make you feel good.
A healthy relationship is not necessarily a perfect relationship, but healthy communication and loving yourself are important parts of one. Few things should never be optional: honesty, trust, respect, and open communication between the partners.
It is difficult to define a healthy relationship in just a few words because partners change and relationships evolve. Not all people have the same image of a healthy relationship. In fact, different people have e different needs for communication, sex, affection, space, shared hobbies or values, etc. What is even more interesting, people’s needs change over the years, so when you are in your 20s, you want certain things from the relationship, but there is no guarantee that you will enjoy the same things in your 30s.
Still, no matter how diverse the partners’ needs are, the universal definition of a healthy relationship is a relationship that makes the partners feel happy and loved. Happiness, the balance of power, independence, and shared decisions are a few of the many things that make the romantic relationship – healthy.
In today’s blog post, you can read what does a healthy relationship looks like. Read on and find out about true love and happiness in the relationship:
You Speak Your Mind.
Communication, without a doubt, is one of the most important compounds of a healthy relationship. The first and most important step in the relationship is to talk to your partner with honesty and respect. Communication is the ground for a healthy and stable connection with your partner. If you feel free to express your thoughts and emotions in front of your partner, if you can talk to each other about any topic without limits, you can be sure you are with your perfect match. Consistent communication with your partner for both big and small things is the foundation of a long-lasting life together.
Honesty is another important aspect of communication. Talking without telling anything important is not the best way to communicate with your partner. Although you cannot discuss important things all the time, it is important to talk to your partner without fear about responding and reacting. Sharing the entire truth, even about difficult things, should come to you naturally and effortlessly. Many people avoid talking about unpleasant things just to avoid a potential argument. However, if you want your relationship to be healthy, you should never keep the uncomfortable things under the surface. The solution is temporary: sooner or later, the truth will come out. On the other hand, if you talk to your partner openly about your emotions and problems, you will find a solution and nourish your relationship.
You Trust Each Other.
Trust, or in other words: you believe everything your partner says is true, and vice versa, your partner believes everything you say is true. If your relationship is based on trust, it means you believe your partner that he/ she wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or destroy your relationship.
As we already mentioned, communication without reservations or secrets is the healthiest way to establish a connection between you and your partner. If you say the truth easily and without doubting your partner’s intentions, that means your relationship is healthy.
Trust works in both directions only: when you trust your partner, it means you respect their privacy and don’t feel the need to test their loyalty.
People who are in a healthy relationship feel safe with their partner, physically and emotionally. When they are not together, they don’t think about where their partner is, what they are doing, or who they are with.
Relationship experts and certified advisors explain that trust is the fundamental characteristic of healthy relationships. If there is no trust, there is no base for building emotions, intimacy, or other connection between the partners. In addition to that, if you don’t trust your partner, you cannot be sure whether they really mean what they say and whether you can rely on them or not.
You Have Your Own Space.
Being in a healthy relationship doesn’t mean you have to spend every moment with your partner. In fact, both partners should have the opportunity to grow as individuals. Loving your partner doesn’t mean being possessive and spending all of your free time with them. Just the opposite: if you truly love your partner, you will encourage them to pursue their interests and dreams. Learning and upgrading their job position, spending time with family, having boys/ girls night, etc.
People who are independent and have high self-confidence let their partner be themselves outside of the relationship. A healthy relationship means supporting your partner to do anything they want without feeling any pressure. Being in an intimate relationship doesn’t mean you are Siamese twins: you should not be involved in every part of your partner’s life.
Independence equals freedom: you can do what you want, go where you want, have hobbies, spend some alone time – the choice is yours. A healthy relationship means you feel comfortable being yourself when you are with your partner. Your partner is supposed to love you just the way you are, not the image they have about you, not you pretending to be someone they want. From the very beginning, tell your partner your likes and dislikes, show your identity, and reveal your guilty pleasures.
You Fight.
Disagreements and conflicts are part of a healthy relationship. If there arent any fights, it means one of the partners is holding something back. Sooner or later, the truth will come to light, and there are high chances the relationship will break. Another reason there aren’t any fights is that partners are too passive to discuss and solve the problems in their relationship.
Hot arguments and emotional fights are not healthy conflicts. Experts explain that you need to discuss the issues in your relationship and confront disagreements openly and with respect. Listen and don’t judge. Discuss productively and fairly. Explain your arguments with respect and put the fight to an end. Recognize the root of the issue, address it before the fight escalates. Apologize if you are wrong.
Partners in a healthy relationship act as a team and not as opponents. Fights are healthy, but if you argue as friends.
You Take Responsibility.
Fights are healthy, but saying you are wrong is healthy, as well. You are responsible for your own words and behavior, so don’t put the blame on others. Take responsibility for your actions and genuinely apologize. Sometimes we say and do something without an intention, so we need to take ownership of everything we did.
You are equal partners.
Equality is another essential part of healthy relationships. In other words, both partners have equal influence, and there is no dominant partner in the decision-making process. Both partners make compromises, and no one has power or control over the other partner.
A balanced relationship means both partners put effort into the success and growth of the relationship. Regardless of how small or big the decision is, both partners say their word. Both partners put their needs, wishes, and interests on the table, and they discuss the option that suits best both of them. Fair share is of extreme importance for healthy relationships.
Making decisions ‘jointly’ means both partners are making decisions about everything: from which movie to watch to which house they should buy.
You Treat Each Other With Kindness and respect.
There is nothing that makes the relationship powerful other than treating the partner with care and respect. A healthy relationship is fulfilled with empathy and appreciation.
People who are in healthy relationships treat each other with kindness and are empathetic to one another. When you love someone, you will do anything to provide comfort and support to that person. Loving someone means you care about their feelings and opinions.
You have physical intimacy.
Relationship experts explain that sex is an integral part of a healthy relationship. Touch, kiss, have sex, and keep the sparkle alive! Physical intimacy makes partners feel close to one another and, at the same time, brings great pleasure to the relationship. Being in a relationship for many years doesn’t mean you should treat your partner as a roommate. Partners who are in healthy romantic relationships pay attention to intimacy. Having sex is not just about the physical act of having sex; it is about connecting with your partner on a more intimate level. Even though the need for physical intimacy changes over time and depends on many things, such as stress, age, hormones, etc., it is crucial for both partners to feel satisfied.
It is interesting to add that studies have proved that partners who have sex regularly showed better results at healthy decision making, lower levels of anxiety or depression, and feel greater satisfaction.
You Find Joy.
A healthy relationship means having fun with your partner. The whole point of being in a relationship is about being happy. Loving your partner and having great communication is extremely important, but along with sex, laughter and fun are very important. You certainly cannot laugh all the time, but if you don’t have the same sense of humor, your relationship won’t feel exciting. Life is about all the things that make us feel good and make us smile. Being in a healthy relationship means you enjoy spending time with your partner:
- Having fun while making dinner
- Spontaneously dancing to your favorite song
- Finishing your partner’s sentences
All those small things will bring your mood up and will remind you why is he/ she the person you chose.
Your Relationship Is Your Safe Place.
If you want to go home to your partner after a hard day at work, if that home is your safe place – you are right where you should be. A healthy relationship means your partner is the only person you want to see when things get complicated. Your bed is your comfortable place, and you enjoy sharing things with your partner.
In addition to that, a healthy relationship means you prefer talking to your partner, not to other people. You feel good when you share your issues, concerns, and exciting news with your partner.
You Like Yourself and Your Partner as You Are Now
We all dream about something: a better job position, a bigger apartment, having a baby, or win the lottery. All these things may occur at some point in the future, but you should never base your relationship on the hope that things will change. The point of a healthy relationship is to love your partner and be with them because of who they are right now.
You support each other.
Supporting your partner to do their best and keep growing is a sign that your relationship is healthy. Even when bad things happen, it is essential to support your partner to overcome the situation.
You Say the Magic Words
“I love you,” “Thank you,” and “I’m sorry.”
Simple and yet powerful words, right?
