I am surrounded by beautiful individuals who are in healthy and happy relationships and I, myself, being in a relationship (10 years and still going strong), I have learned that there are some key attributes that are needed to maintain a healthy relationship with your partner.
Communication
No doubt, communication is important especially as we grow as a couple. And I don’t mean just the daily phone calls or text messages, but actually having conversations to understand each other on a deeper level. Can you talk about your goals, career plans, life timeline, dreams of travel, mental health with your partner? Do you know how your partner reacts when they are happy, stressed, excited, anxious? As we grow as individuals, our partners should understand how we are growing, too – and vice versa. This is through consistent and active communication.
Values
Understanding our own values as well as our partner’s is also important and I can argue that this serves as the foundation. It doesn’t have to be the same values but there should be a mutual understanding and respect. Values can vary in areas like finances, family, lifestyle, fitness and health, religion, friends, and more. Also valuing each other is critical.
Keeping Things Fun
If you know what I mean 😉
Keeping Things Funny
Laughter in a relationship simply elevates it. It’s proven that laughter is the best medicine and is beneficial in many ways which include releasing endorphins, boosting the immune system, and helping you stay mentally healthy. It also helps strengthen bonds in relationships and the key to a healthy and happy relationship should include some laughter.
Try New Things Together
Discovering new experiences, traveling to new destinations, eating new meals together. By trying new things together, it will help create more shared memories. Especially as you enter long-term relationship territory, trying new things together will help it continue to feel new and exciting.
Support Each Other
Emotionally. Your partner will witness moments in you — your emotions, moods, mental state — that no one else will probably ever see. And in those down or dark times, your partner should be able to support and provide the emotional support – and vice versa. Additionally, being able to support each other’s dreams, growth, and ideas is equally important to have a healthy relationship.
Being Able To Be Yourself
You should be able to be 100% you with your partner, and vice versa. And continue to grow with each other. Not so much your “other half’ but being able to be your own whole selves with each other.
Relationships aren’t a one size fit all or a ‘get together and it will be the same for the years to come’. Relationships are so fluid, as we continue to grow and change, so do our relationships. It requires work, attention, time and commitment. Certainly there are some relationships where you grow apart and it doesn’t work out eventually – and that’s okay. It’s okay to let go. But when you find the right partnership, it’s worth the work.
