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This year has been difficult, to say the least. It is so important to check-in with yourself and your mental health, now more than ever. And taking time to reflect on your romantic relationship health is an essential part of your self-care. Designate some time each week to journal, meditate, or simply check in with yourself and how you’re feeling. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Recognizing what is healthy in a partnership isn’t always intuitive. Love is learned; it is a skill that we’re taught so little about. It takes work and practice.
Below, you’ll find healthy signs to guide your relationship reflection from the One Love Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to improving the relationship health of future generations by empowering everyone with relationship education. These characteristics of a healthy relationship will help you see if the love in your life is positively serving you. Remember, your happiness should always be your number one priority. Now let’s see if these signs look familiar to you:
Comfortable Pace –
A healthy relationship moves at a comfortable pace that feels enjoyable for both people. An unhealthy relationship often has extreme feelings early on and over-the-top behavior that feels overwhelming. Especially during Covid-19, the speed of a romantic connection may come into question. In a healthy relationship, partners will give each other space and time to adjust to this ‘new normal’ and determine their own comfort levels. Trust your gut and move at a pace that feels 100% comfortable to you, as there is no pressure to move too quickly in a relationship. Learn more about the signs of a healthy relationship during Covid-19 here.
Honesty –
In a healthy relationship, you feel that you can communicate honestly with your partner about anything that may be on your mind. You can be truthful and open without fearing how the other person will respond. In an unhealthy partnership, you may feel your partner manipulates your conversations by twisting your words, or you may be hesitant to communicate openly with them. During this unprecedented time, it is crucial to know the difference between stress and an unhealthy relationship.
Equality –
Valuing one another’s beliefs and respecting each other’s opinions are signs of a healthy relationship. You respect each other’s decisions even if you disagree. In an unhealthy relationship, your partner may try to control your choices, actions, or emotions through manipulation or guilt tactics.
Healthy Conflict – In a healthy relationship, you openly and respectfully confront issues and disagreements non-judgmentally and without yelling. If someone repeatedly makes excuses for their volatile behavior when faced with a conflict, this may be a sign of an unhealthy relationship. This unhealthy behavior is when someone has an extreme, unpredictable reaction that makes you feel scared, confused or intimidated.
Trust –
The level of trust between partners often correlates to the overall confidence in the relationship as a whole. It is normal to have some possessive feelings towards your significant other, but when your trust is so low that it turns to jealousy or insecurity, this can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship. In this case, a partner may try to control who their significant other spends time with and what they do.
Independence –
In a healthy relationship, partners take space to do things by themselves outside of the relationship. Whether this is spending time with other friends or practicing a hobby, this is a trusted time apart. An unhealthy relationship may include isolation and distancing from friends, family, or other people.
Kindness –
An unhealthy relationship often has belittling behavior where someone does and says things to make you feel bad about yourself. Overall, in a healthy relationship, you care and empathize with one another and provide comfort and support.
Remember no one and no relationship is perfect 100% of the time. But learning these signs is an important first step to loving better in your life. For more info on all of the 10 signs of a healthy relationship, learn with One Love.
If you or someone you know is in an unhealthy relationship, get help here via text message, voice call, or live chat. Through these resources, you can get advice and information 24/7/365 from One Love’s trusted partners. They can help if you are experiencing or exhibiting unhealthy or abusive behavior or need advice for someone in your life.