14 Signs Of A Healthy Relationship

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A relationship is the coming together of two individuals, with all their strengths and weaknesses to complement one another. That is, in times when one partner is weak, another comes in strong for him/her. Today we will look at some of the signs of a healthy relationship that means your relationship is on the right track.

A relationship, like a wise friend of mine once said, is an interdependence. When going into a relationship, it’s important to find the one who makes you feel at peace. The one you are most comfortable sharing things with, and that you have an innate understanding of their actions.

Nowadays, we often go into relationships because of superficial reasons, and these reasons fade away really quickly. They are almost always a facade of the person’s true nature. This revelation will show you the terrible sides of the person you thought was perfection incarnate.

This goes to show the importance of understanding the person we are spending our lives with. The better we understand our partner, the healthier our relationship will become. It is also very possible to emulate the signs of a healthy relationship and you will see that these signs can actually easily be adopted for a healthier and long-lasting relationship.

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1. Communication

A great sign of a healthy relationship is a free flow of communication. Communication can be seen as the lifeblood of a relationship, without it, a relationship will crumble within a twinkle of an eye.

Communication involves the freedom of opinions and the absence of secrets. All cards should be on the table within a relationship. When there is communication, one will learn of his or her partner’s non-facial cues. You will be able to tell that “uh-oh, he’s worried about something” or “she is happy about this, I should do this often” without her saying a word. That is the beauty of communication.

2. There is a strong presence of trust

A healthy relationship is free of insecurities (perhaps only a little adorable jealousy here and there). Each individual believes in the love the other professes and has seen it in the actions they undertake.

They trust absolutely in their partner, just as it should be. If communication is the lifeblood of a relationship, let us think of trust as the oxygen for it. When there is trust, love will flourish exceptionally.

3. Both partners respect each other

Each partner needs to know that for a relationship to grow, they must never think of their partner as a subordinate, or one they are better than. They must be humble in all aspects.

Nowadays we are faced with a particular problem where a lot of males assume they are the head of a relationship. Well, we can’t really blame them. This is how men were brought up, that they must lead and their decisions are final.

As short-sighted as that view is, we need to understand that it will stay for awhile but thanks to the enlightenment you are undergoing by reading this, we are slowly eroding that false narrative.

A relationship is a partnership; no one is the head (alone). You both are seeking to make each other grow, not just one person growing. A significant sign of a healthy relationship is the presence of respect, and where there is respect, humility also prevails. Do not let old principles cause a reduction of self-development in your relationship.

4. In a healthy relationship, there is understanding

Perfection is humanly impossible, and in a relationship, there are two imperfect people. Another major sign of a healthy relationship is the understanding of the flaws of your partner and the acceptance of said flaws.

It is very important that when you have come to terms with these shortcomings, you do not make fun of them or use it to abuse or manipulate them (I repeat, very important). Also, beyond the flaws of your partner, you must understand their mood spectrum.

You need to know when you shouldn’t prod them if they are angry. Be ready to listen, feel their pain and work with them to come up with solutions to their problems. A listening ear is an important part of a relationship too, so always be ready to offer yours.

5. There is intimacy

So, you probably already know that intimacy is a sign of a healthy relationship, but it doesn’t always have to be smothering and intense. The simple things count just as much; holding hands, singing to one another, etc. are also perfect indicators of healthy relationships.

6. Gestures of love

In a healthy relationship, there is an abundance of love gestures. You might be wondering what these gestures of love are! Well, they range from writing short notes showing how much your partner means to you, to just being there and reassuring your partner when he or she feels weighed down.

It could also be preparing their favourite meal for them; nothing is too small to indicate one’s love for another. Saying you love them and showing emotions do not make you weak, they do not even make you look clingy. It’s simply a sign of love and a healthy relationship.

7. There is motivation

One of the greatest signs of a healthy relationship is the air of motivation towards goals set by your partner. When they tell you of something they are planning towards, or when you tell them of a milestone you want to reach, they show their relentless support. You become their source of motivation and also your partner becomes yours.

Your partner will push you to become a better person than you were the previous day. They will see to it that when you feel like giving up, they make you get back up with a renewed zeal and a dedication of steel (I know, I should go into poetry, right?).

Your partner will support you and when you succeed, their joy will be boundless.

8. Your partner is your happy place

In a healthy relationship, you feel complete when you are with your partner, or when you think about them. Whenever you are full of gloom because of an incident or terrible news, a single text, word, gesture from your partner causes you to lose your ability to feel sad.

This is one core gift of a healthy relationship, a beautiful one at that. Your partner is always ready to open up because with you, he or she doesn’t feel constrained. Nor do they feel the need to live up to a certain standard. He is himself, she is herself and you are your true self.

9. Boundaries are respected

When your partner is on the phone and those uncertain thoughts creep in, how do you react? Do you confront them and ask who they were speaking to? That is not how it’s supposed to be! If you trust your partner, you will respect their boundaries.

You will not go through their phone because most likely, you will not be comfortable if they went through yours. You should think of it this way; there is nothing private in a relationship, but you should respect their boundaries. This is very important for a healthy relationship.

10. Fluidity of roles

There is fluidity in your roles as a couple when, for instance, your partner has to work long hours and you handle the laundry, cleaning and drive them to work so they do not overexert themselves.

Most importantly, you carry out all these tasks without a gnawing sense of entitlement and you do not grumble ceaselessly because of how herculean the task might seem to you. There is balance and it’s beautiful. If this is not the case in your relationship, you should change this immediately.

11. Kindness

When a relationship is blooming, each person treats the other with limitless kindness, having empathy, and caring to a fault over the well-being of the partner.

Make sure that you don’t show kindness to strangers outside yet lack the same attribute for your partner. They should be your number one priority no matter what. Kindness is like the lone star that illuminates a darkened world. Find it, show it and cherish it.

12. Apologies are normal in a healthy relationship

It is normal to disagree over things. What is important is that whether you are wrong or not, you apologize before the day runs out. Do not carry your grievances to the next day.

It is also important to note that you can choose to overlook grievances so you don’t take offence. However, make sure you tell your partner exactly how you feel if they hurt you. If there happens to be a disagreement, you must be open-minded, argue productively and apologise.

13. Joint decision making

When in a relationship, no one, I repeat, no single person (louder for the men at the back, lol) calls all the shots. You must make sure you hear the other person’s views on any action you want to take (well except if it’s a surprise birthday party!).

This is one of the most important signs of a healthy relationship and it will make your relationship last. Decisions can be anything from what movies you wish to binge-watch together on a Friday night to how many children you want to have when the time comes. There is no decision that is too small or too big for your partner that you should make alone. It’s a partnership remember?

14. The magic words

A not-so-popular sign of a healthy relationship is the incessant use of the magic words “I love you”, “I miss you”, and “I am sorry”. These words are magical and they are known to double the amount of love a person has! They can cause tears as they soften even the coldest of hearts.

The first one, “I love you”, doesn’t need a special occasion to be said. It is a reaffirmation, a reassurance of what you feel. This will always make your partner smile.

“I miss you” – distance means nothing to two hearts that are connected. This second magical sentence just goes to show your partner that they are always in your thoughts. You understand distance poses a slight annoyance or negligible barrier, yes, but you would totally love it if they were right there with you, under the night sky, with you both telling each other how much you mean to one another.

“I am sorry”, the last but not the least by any standard of the magic words, is a sign of acceptance of wrongs. Whether it was your fault or not, it shows you are ready to drop your ego as it is not important to you. Your partner holds more worth in your eyes as compared to the ego that will ruin your relationship if held onto. These are powerful words that cause powerful effects.

For You:

Now, you have seen the major telling signs of a healthy relationship. Perhaps your relationship has all of them, that’s excellent! Perhaps it has none, that’s okay too! Why? Because it means that you can work on it and build it to yield a more fruitful relationship.

It first starts with the desire to change and then it goes on to be built from there. It might take a while but if anything, I am certain you will see the changes in your relationship with time, good and beautiful changes.

I am also certain that your relationship will become stronger than ever as there will be this interdependence between you and your partner if you both deliberately employ these things. A relationship should never be one-sided. Never. Here are some parting words of encouragement; no matter how terrible things might seem, always be there for your partner.

Even when the world rejects and shuns them, you are their world and you should not do the same to them. Always bear in mind that they care about you. Make every decision with the knowledge that you want nothing but the growth of your partner. That you are concerned for their mental and emotional well-being, and do not criticize or call out their insecurities. Ever. Adios amigos!

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Don’t forget to pin these signs of a healthy relationship!

If you made it to this point, yay! I hope you see all these signs in your relationship and that you will thrive going forward!

If you don’t mind, I would appreciate it immensely if you could take a moment to pin these signs of a healthy relationship to your relationships board on Pinterest. You can also follow me on Pinterest for more relationship advice and tips!