Relationships provide a sense of connection, support and meaning to our lives. They can help us feel more resilient and energized, even in the face of difficulties. They can also enhance our health and wellbeing in a variety of ways, from reducing stress and depression to encouraging physical activity and overall well-being.
Whether you’re single and looking for your perfect match or you’ve been together forever, it’s important to understand what makes a relationship healthy and happy. Unlike holiday love stories and romantic comedies, maintaining thriving relationships takes real effort. This article provides tips to help you find and cultivate positive relationships, as well as some telltale signs that a relationship is heading for the long haul.
1. Mutual Understanding and Respect
A healthy relationship involves a mutual understanding of each other’s needs, priorities and values. This includes a recognition that your values and goals may ebb and flow over time, and an ability to compromise when necessary. It’s also about being respectful of one another’s boundaries, including privacy and personal space.
2. Providing Feedback and Accountability
Close relationships can be a source of honest feedback, helping you identify areas where improvement is possible. They can also be a source of accountability, encouraging you to take risks and chase your dreams.
3. Creating Meaningful Experiences
In addition to offering emotional and mental support, a healthy relationship can offer practical benefits, such as shared expenses. For example, a couple may share housing costs or car payments, which can reduce individual financial burdens and help alleviate stress. They may also share household chores and responsibilities, which can reduce the amount of work each person has to do at home.
4. Sharing Adventures
A big part of a healthy relationship is enjoying shared experiences, such as vacations or spending quality time at home. These activities help build a strong sense of togetherness, as well as memories to last a lifetime.
5. Reliability
A healthy relationship involves being reliable, both in terms of showing up when you say you will and keeping your promises. It also means being understanding when life gets in the way of your plans, and not making assumptions or jumping to conclusions about why they didn’t happen.
6. Acceptance of Oneself and Others
Lastly, a healthy relationship is based on acceptance of oneself and the other person, as well as an appreciation of each other’s unique qualities. This means recognizing that everyone is flawed, and accepting those flaws without judgment. It’s also about recognizing that not all issues can be resolved, and that sometimes it’s better to part ways than to try to force a relationship to work when it’s not healthy for you.
It’s important to remember that a healthy relationship isn’t something you can force or “buy.” It’s about finding someone who brings out the best in you, inspires you to be your best self, and understands you when no one else does. It’s someone who makes you smile when you’re down, and who you can’t wait to be around.