10 Signs of a Healthy Relationship
If you have been single for a while and are now finding yourself boo’d up, then you might be wondering one thing.
Is my relationship healthy?
Unfortunately, it is usually easier to identify the dealbreakers in a bad relationship than the signs of a healthy relationship because those just feel wrong.
So, what is a healthy relationship? And how do you build a good relationship?
Before we dig deep and unearth the different healthy relationship characteristics, let’s look at the meaning of a healthy relationship.
Healthy Relationship Definition:
A healthy relationship is a relationship that is filled with love, joy, and trust to mention a few. A relationship in which both partners feel respected, cherished and safe enough to completely open up to each other.
While every relationship is different there are a few key aspects that will allow you to thrive as a couple. Today I’m sharing with you 10 signs of a healthy relationship.
10 Signs of a Healthy Relationship
1. You don’t mind apologizing
Relationships are complicated and need work. And no matter how well you get along, there will be times of conflict. However, what allows healthy relationships to succeed, is the willingness of both partners to work on it.
If both of you can say that you are sorry and don’t hold on to pride, then that’s a sign of a healthy relationship. In a relationship, it is important that you are able to admit when you make a mistake and are willing to apologize.
2. You are a team
The best thing about having a best friend is that he or she got your back. And that’s the same in a relationship. Both of you are willing to defend the other person in their absence or their presence.
In a group setting, other people can see that you are a union by the way you communicate and respect each other. A healthy relationship is where you both make each other look good and support each other.
3. You can sense each other’s mood
A healthy couple knows each other well enough to sense when something is wrong. Even without talking you know when to show support, encourage the other person or simply give them space.
In a healthy relationship, you become sensitive to your boyfriend’s personality and vice versa, which is an important sign of a healthy relationship.
Disclaimer: This does not mean that you are expected to tip-toe around them. If you feel like you consistently have to cheer them up, then that’s an indication that something might be wrong.
4. You can be vulnerable
In healthy relationships, both partners want to be vulnerable with each other. Even when it means facing criticism or voicing disappointment.
You feel safe and secure enough to bring something up without facing backlash from your partner. Because you both know that you won’t be met with defensiveness or manipulation, but receptiveness and support.
Oftentimes it’s not enough to just communicate, because you can say a whole lot without ever sharing something meaningful.
But when you can be vulnerable and entrust your partner with things you can’t tell anyone else that’s when your romantic relationship sets itself apart from your other friendships.
Healthy relationships are transparent, and you feel like you can communicate openly and talk about anything.
5. You encourage each other to follow your purpose
In a healthy relationship, you encourage one another to grow as a person and follow your dreams and passion. You want your partner to grow even if that means they outgrow you. Because love doesn’t envy but wants the best for the other.
One of the most important things in a Christian relationship is to date with purpose. You want to have one common or two complimenting visions. That’s why it’s so important that both of you enter into the relationship with a healthy amount of self-love. That allows you to be secure enough in yourself to want the best for the other.
6. You sacrifice for each other
For all my single ladies out there, being in a relationship isn’t just about the romance and the cute date nights. A healthy relationship is a partnership that requires commitment and sacrifice.
It’s about sharing a life together, which can be challenging at times.
In a good relationship, you are willing to sacrifice some of your unrealistic expectations, over-the-top demands and bad habits from your single season. A healthy partnership requires both of you to sacrifice selfish desires to make space for combined goals, dreams and traditions.
7. You trust each other
One of the most beautiful traits of healthy relationships is that you trust each other.
When you find ‘The One’ God has for you, you feel a sense of peace when it comes to your partner. You can trust him to honor their words and do what they said they will do, follow through with their actions and show you that they are reliable.
Building a relationship on trust is important because it allows the relationship to evolve. Only if you feel like you trust your partner, you’ll feel comfortable enough to go to the next level with him and discuss marriage.
8. You spend time apart
Being in a strong relationship doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time together. Actually, it means you can have separate lives, interests, and friends. It means you are able to keep a sense of individuality without fearing that your partner will be jealous or resentful.
Remember, it’s important to have a life outside of your relationship which gives you a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
9. You make decisions together
A healthy relationship is a partnership in which you don’t have to struggle to be heard. Instead, both of you discuss important life events. And when circumstances affect your relationship you decide on the best action together.
In healthy relationships, both of you have equal say and don’t feel like one person runs the relationship. You are willing to compromise because you know that you are not being taken advantage of.
10. You have fun together
Last but not least, the best relationship advice that I can give you is to have fun together!
There will be so many moments when life is hard and pulling you down. A great relationship partner that you can create funny moments with, will add a whole new layer of mental health and sustain you even when you go through a rough time.
Fun and laughter are a good way to increase the health of a relationship.
As you can see from the above 10 signs of a healthy relationship being in a relationship shouldn’t stress you out but make you happy and give you peace.
Does that sound like yours? If not take a look at the below comparison of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
While every relationship requires work and commitment from both people, a healthy relationship enriches your life. The relationship brings more peace and happiness, then it does stress and anxiety. Both of you feel good about the relationship most of the time and are willing to put in the effort it takes to make it work.
In an unhealthy relationship, on the other hand, you feel more stressed and restless. You feel emotionally exhausted and like the relationship is draining your energy. You and your partner continually feel like you are at odds with each other and don’t enjoy spending time together anymore.
Can you relate to the signs of an unhealthy relationship? If yes, don’t worry because it does not necessarily mean that you need to end the relationship. By implementing just a few changes, you can hopefully improve your relationship with your partner.
Healthy Relationship Tips
Identify each other’s love language
If you ask me, Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages is a must-read for every couple that wants to date with purpose and spend the rest of their lives together.
Why? Because it’s like a map to understanding the way you love and like to be loved as well how your partner likes to be loved.
By simply identifying his love language, you learn to love him the way he appreciates it the most. Subsequently, those little actions will increase his love for you and inspire him to return the favor.
Practice gratitude
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of ungratefulness when in a relationship. Especially, if you and your partner have been together for a while.
You start to take each other for granted and fail to see the impact your partner has on your life.
However, you can avoid this mistake by simply paying more attention to the little things your partner does to support and love you.
Give him credit, even if you are used to his behavior and actions. By focusing on the positive rather than the negative you don’t just change your own perspective on the relationship but improve his mood as well.
Be realistic
As much as I love watching Hallmark movies or Disney movies, I have to say that those movies oftentimes share unrealistic images of relationships.
And even though we all know it, a lot of people project these fantasies onto their real-life relationships and are disappointed when reality doesn’t match up.
The key to being content and satisfied with your boyfriend is to have realistic relationship expectations and accepting him the way he is, rather than trying to change him.
This will not just lead to fewer arguments, but also make step 2 ‘practice gratitude’ much easier.
These are the different steps you can take to mend what is broken, but what if you are single and asking yourself “what is a healthy relationship like?”. In order to find out you need to prepare yourself for a healthy relationship.
How to attract a healthy relationship
But what do you if you have never been exposed let alone been part of such a relationship and do not know how to attract a healthy relationship into your life.
After all, you don’t know what you don’t know.
Truth is, in order to attract a healthy relationship you need to become a person that radiates it first. A person that is emotionally intelligent, knows how to communicate, and is ready and willing to put in the effort it takes to build a healthy relationship.
Here are five good starting points.
1. Get clear on what you want and need
This step is without question the step most of us struggle with. While you might know what you want (to be in a healthy relationship with a great man), you are unclear on what you need in order to make it happen.
I hate to break it to you, but his looks, his height, and his income are not good indicators to look at if you want to find out if he is right for you.
What about his character, his emotional health and his love for you?
In order to attract the relationship you want, you need to get crystal clear on what qualities a man needs ( has to have no matter what) in order for him to be able to provide a healthy relationship.
Once you identified those personality traits it will be much easier to discern the right guy from the wrong guy.
2. Define your boundaries
In very simple terms a boundary simply defines the limit of something. In a relationship, that limit could refer to your love, your patience, or your understanding.
In order to attract love, you need to define your boundaries and make sure that you enforce whatever consequence once a boundary has been crossed.
Because on the other side of your boundary, is an unhealthy relationship and not trial No. 305 to show you that he is not the one.
3. Reflect on your past relationships
A lot of the work you need to do to attract a healthy relationship is done through self-development. And the best way to start is by reflecting on your past relationships.
Ask yourself if these relationships were healthy and to what extent you were part of the reason they did not work out.
Fact is, that a man that is capable to be in a healthy relationship is looking for a woman that is capable of the same. Therefore, the first thing you can do to become the one is to analyze your expectations, your emotional intelligence, your self-confidence and more.
4. Find out what you want love to ‘feel’ like
A lot of times you get caught up in what we want the relationship to look like. But it is way more important to understand what you want it to feel like.
No matter if you have been in a healthy relationship before or not, you know what it feels like to feel good, safe, loved and at peace.
Use these emotions, to envision a relationship that gives you those feelings on a daily basis and you will be able to identify a healthy relationship when you see one.
5. Be honest
Last but not least, in order to attract a healthy relationship, you need to be honest with others and yourself.
As I repeat in most of my blog posts, your intuition is your best friend and means well. Whenever you can feel that something is off and does not serve you, it’s your call to break things off.
Because the best way to manifest a healthy relationship is by staying away from bad relationships and only allowing men into your life that demonstrate the qualities of a godly man.
