Being in a relationship doesn’t mean you are in a healthy one. You and your partner can take long walks and go biking and traveling, but a strong, healthy relationship goes beyond these specs.
How happy your relationship is can greatly influence your health. So what really is a healthy relationship? It is one where both partners feel safe to love, honor and respect each other without the fear of communicating their needs, wants, hurts, and boundaries.
What, then, are key indicators of a strong, healthy relationship? Find out in this article as we will be sharing to help you nurture a happy and healthy relationship.
1. Trust For Each Other
Every healthy relationship is built on trust, but when it comes to your partner’s cell phones and social media, you may want to snoop. But this is irrelevant as a healthy relationship doesn’t require all this snooping. It also applies to matters of their finances, fidelity, and more.
A trustworthy partner is faithful, reliable, available, and predictable. They also show true trust by giving you the space and freedom you need without constantly checking on you.
2. Encourage Each Other’s Goal
You and your significant other must support your goals in writing a book, starting a business, or earning a degree. You should encourage each other’s goals regardless of whether they align. Honor and encourage yourself in pursuing your passion.
3. You Feel Supported and Happy
Once the euphoria of a new relationship fades away, do you still feel happy and supported by your partner? The best way to rate your relationship’s health status is by knowing how your relationship makes you feel. Often, infatuation can feel like excitement, while drama is disguised as passion.
How is your mood and self-esteem? True love gives calm, safe, and empowering feelings. If your partner makes you feel like they love and support you, that signifies a strong, healthy relationship. But if you lack support or feel strained, talk to them- that’s the healthy thing to do.
4. Honours and Respect Boundaries
Both parties must discuss and agree on meaningful and relevant subjects for a healthy relationship. This includes understanding and respecting boundaries and values.
5. Open and Regular Communication
To breed a happy relationship, you must learn to check on each other daily or once every day. Communication is key here. You should feel safe sharing your concerns, frustrations, and disappointments with your partner. Do not shove them under the carpet or avoid confrontation. Both parties should be able to find and seek compromise if necessary. A communication expressed in a manipulative, passive-aggressive, or stonewall undertone call for a review.
6. Spend Time Together
Spending time together in your relationship differs from being in the same house or with your kids. It is important to create time for each other to share interests and experiences and have fun together. Don’t allow the demands of life to consume every hour of your time. Watch a tv series together, go on date nights, and work out.
There are some free hookup and dating sites with ideas to help you spend more quality time with your partner.
7. Know and Accept Your Strength & Weaknesses
Everyone has certain strengths and weaknesses, and knowing and accepting them makes your relationship win. Talk about them if you must. Also, learn to accept it if you must build a lasting relationship. This is a conscious effort on your part.
8. Be Kind to Each Other
For a strong, healthy relationship, both parties need to treat themselves with love, kindness, care, and compassion, even in the tone of their voice and word usage. Don’t sound irritated, detached, demeaning, or sarcastic. If your partner means so much to you, act and speak in a way that reflects exactly that. Even if your partner acts unkindly to you, always do the reverse. Your words have so much more power than you know.
9. Quickly Heal Any Rifts
Relationships are not all rosy. There are good and bad times. Disagreements occur. Feelings are hurt, but how you handle those moments matters. It also helps build a stronger bond and connection with your partner.
To address every issue, however, you should wait for your anger to calm down before communicating with your partner. Discuss the problem after the conflict to find a solution. It is not advisable to wait for weeks to discuss the problem or just ignore it ever happened.
Final Thought
An unhappy relationship can affect your health. A negative relationship also breeds depression and anxiety. Everyone has a strength and weaknesses, and no one is perfect, but creating perfection in an imperfect relationship is what builds bonds. So learn to protect each other, especially during a crisis.
Featured Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash