Every relationship is different and unique, making it impossible for all couples to fit into the same cookie-cutter mold. However, no matter the couple, there are certain aspects of a relationship that can be identified as crucial in developing, and sustaining, a healthy relationship. In this article, I mention a few of these aspects to help reveal the ways in which your relationship can grow happier and healthier.
- Understanding Each Other’s Love Languages
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What can your partner do to make you feel loved? Physical touch, gift giving, words of affirmation, quality time? Everyone feels love and expresses love in different ways. That is exactly what love languages represent. A couple must learn what each other’s love languages are, so they know how to make each other feel loved, appreciated, and valued. For this reason, love languages are the foundation of a healthy relationship, and the key to making sure your partner is happy.
- You Can Spend Time Apart
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A relationship undeniably has a lot to do with spending time together. However, a sign of a healthy relationship is your ability to also spend time with other important people in your life and spend time alone. It’s important to make sure you maintain your deep connections with friends, family, and yourself despite also having a significant other in your life. Making sure you have this balance will help make sure your relationship is healthy and long-lasting. A couple who stays together is a couple who respects the ways in which they must be apart (every now and then).
- Communication is Key
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A successful relationship needs clear communication. You need to feel comfortable communicating your emotions and thoughts to your partner, and should feel reassured that they will respectfully listen and communicate back, as communication goes both ways. You should never feel uncomfortable or afraid to speak your mind to your partner. Without clear communication, relationships can go through a downhill spiral of resentment, grudges, and bottled up feelings. If your relationship seems to lack communication, therapy is another great option to improve communication between you and your partner.
- Feeling Comfortable to be Yourself
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You should feel comfortable in your own skin and in your overall self around your partner. How could a relationship be healthy if you hold back your genuine self, or feel as though you’re putting on an act in front of your partner? You should never feel as though you cannot be yourself around them. Instead, you should always be able to show your true, authentic and natural self to your partner, especially without fear of being judged. It’s important to be confident in yourself and to be confident that your significant other will love your true self as much as you do.
- Be Willing to Make Compromises
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Relationships are full of compromises so make sure that both of your needs and wants are accommodated and accounted for. This works to benefit both partners, and shows that you’re both willing to adjust your own behaviors to make sure the relationship succeeds. It is an inevitable, but necessary, aspect of any healthy relationship for this exact reason!
There are various factors that play a role in causing a relationship to fail or succeed. Within this article, we touch upon numerous ways in which a relationship can become and remain healthy. This list is not exhaustive but still gives good insight into the complex characteristics and processes that go into maintaining a healthy relationship.