If there’s one thing I know is that we all want love. Sometimes what you feel isn’t really love, though, and is unhealthy. It’s a burst of emotions that turn you into someone you are not or doing things you normally wouldn’t do. However, in a healthy relationship, you are free to be yourself. You can truly be you and truly be happy about it. Healthy relationships feel good and bring you up while unhealthy ones don’t feel great and can sometimes make you unhappy.
Everyone deserves to be in a healthy, loving relationship and with the right person by your side, a healthy relationship is completely attainable. Here are some things to consider for keeping a happy and healthy relationship with someone you care about.
Communication
Good communication is one of the most important aspects to having a healthy relationship. When starting a new relationship, it’s important to be able to talk about what you both want and expect. Sometimes this means being honest and having uncomfortable conversations, but if you’re in a healthy relationship your partner will be receptive and listen. Being on the same page as your partner goes a long way and opening up to your partner about what’s bothering you, compromising over your disagreements and complimenting each other are all equally as important.
Respect
Listening to your partner and trying to understand their perspective is a key way to show respect in your relationship. Even if you disagree on a certain topic, you should still respect your partner’s choices and opinions. Don’t try to persuade them to change their minds about things that are important to them. In a healthy relationship, both partners will have mutual respect for one another.
Boundaries
We all have personal boundaries on what makes us feel good, comfortable, safe, etc. In a healthy relationship, you should feel 100% comfortable communicating those boundaries and know that they will be respected (and vice versa for your partner). This is particularly important when your relationship becomes sexual. Your partner may be into using adult toys, such as
JS Dolls, while you may find that very uncomfortable. This is something that should be communicated so both parties can respect the boundaries of the other.
Trust
This is a big one. All healthy relationships require mutual and unguarded trust between partners. Regardless of what either partner has experienced in the past, like a cheating ex or a parent’s divorce, in a healthy relationship your partner will trust you completely. DO remember that it takes time to build trust in a relationship (it usually doesn’t come right off the bat!) and that when your partner fully trusts you with their feelings, you should respect them and not betray their trust. Cheating on them or doing things to make them jealous isn’t right. DON’T ever let your partner use their lack of trust or past experiences as an excuse to control you, question you or otherwise make you feel as though you need to go out of your to way earn their trust. Steadfast affection, support, respect, and communication will naturally strengthen the trust in your relationship.
Support
One of the best things about being in a healthy relationship is having a supportive partner who you know has your back. Whether it’s sticking up for you when someone says something mean about you, or always being that rock you can rely on, in a healthy relationship you and your partner will support each other and treat each other as equals.
Ultimately, an unhealthy relationship is based on power and control, not love and respect. If you feel like your partner is using tactics to control you, then that is a big red flag and you should talk to someone that can help. Your partner doesn’t have to physically harm you for your relationship to be abusive. If your relationship is great most of the time, but unhealthy sometimes, that’s not good enough. Everyone deserves to be in a healthy relationship and there is never an excuse for abuse.
Share some of your own advice for having a healthy relationship below.
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