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Every relationship looks different, but there are some key characteristics that only the healthy ones share.
So, how do you know where your relationship stands on the healthiness scale? That’s where we can help. Our guide covers some of the tell-tale signs of a healthy relationship, challenges that can negatively impact a relationship, and ways to build and sustain a thriving relationship of your own.
What are some signs of a healthy relationship? Some of the strongest relationships feature mutual trust, effective communication, and shared values and goals.
To start, mutual respect is a biggie. Respect means you’re considerate of each other and value each other’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions. And with respect comes trust. A healthy relationship is based on honesty and integrity, which helps encourage comfort, security, and dependability between you and your partner.
When you and your partner have a relationship of trust and respect, you foster an inviting environment where you both feel safe and secure.
Effective and open communication is the key to sustaining a healthy relationship. This means you and your partner feel comfortable and confident having conversations where you discuss everything from difficult issues to trivial topics.
Effective communication involves setting aside undistracted time to have conversations, practicing active listening, and avoiding interruptions.
Some of the happiest couples report sharing similar values and goals, meaning they see eye-to-eye and are working toward a similar future.
For instance, maybe you and your partner have the same political and religious values, which makes you compatible and share similar visions for the future of your relationship when it comes to starting a family. Or, maybe you both prioritize higher education, so you and your partner are working toward achieving your degrees and excelling in your respective fields. Even if you and your partner both simply want to buy an RV and travel the world together, that counts, too, as you’re both striving to establish a nomadic lifestyle that you can share as a couple.
Emotional and physical intimacy are important aspects to relationship longevity, too. You can strengthen your bond when you and your partner share emotional and physical connections.
If you and your partner share emotional intimacy, you’ve created a relationship where you can be vulnerable and open with each other. This can help build deep emotional connections, allowing you to better understand each other’s thoughts and feelings while connecting on a more spiritual or emotional level.
We’ve talked about the importance of verbal communication in healthy relationships, but non-verbal communication is equally important, too. A simple hug, a gentle squeeze on the arm, or a soft kiss on the cheek are examples of physical affection that can help convey your love and support. Whether you’re holding hands or cuddling on the couch, these physical connections show how much you care for each other while encouraging a sense of safety and security.
What’s more, this kind of physical affection can even release feel-good hormones like oxytocin, known as the cuddle chemical, helping you feel more connected, close, and supported.
Now, let’s consider some relationship maintenance tips. Some top ways to sustain a healthy relationship involve prioritizing quality time, checking in with each other, and patiently addressing conflicts.
Setting time aside where you spend time together and give each other your undivided attention is one way to foster a healthy relationship.
How you choose to spend this time together is up to you—you might enjoy a cup of coffee together every morning before work, tackle a new dinner recipe together in the kitchen, or partake in one of your favorite hobbies together like hiking, painting, or gardening.
It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you prioritize your partner and make time to talk and listen to each other.
No matter how well you know each other, you’re not mind readers. You won’t know exactly what your partner is thinking or how they’re feeling unless you ask. Make a conscious effort to take a temperature check on each other’s thoughts and emotions to gauge how you’re both doing.
Is one of you feeling frustrated? Or do you feel like your actions aren’t reciprocated in the relationship? When you check in on each other, this should be a safe space where you both feel comfortable expressing yourselves. Be honest about how you feel, acknowledge any issues, and try to compromise on solutions.
If you do this on a regular basis, it can help nip issues in the bud and prevent you from bottling up your feelings.
Part of building a strong relationship involves patience and understanding. You must practice empathy and compassion if you and your partner want to be in this relationship for the long haul.
Avoid getting defensive and placing blame, and instead try your best to put yourself in your partner’s shoes and imagine how they might be feeling in certain situations. When you both learn to emphasize and sympathize with each other, you’ll have an easier time addressing and solving conflicts in your relationship.
Even if you and your partner are committed to fostering a healthy relationship, you will no doubt face some challenges along the way. Let’s discuss some situations that may put a strain on your relationship and ways you can work around them.
Outside influences can put undue stress and pressure on your relationship. Whether you’re facing hardships at work or struggling with societal pressures to get married, these factors can put a damper on your relationship if you don’t work on managing them.
Find productive ways for you and your partner to combat external stressors and pressures. That might mean going for a walk after work, discussing your problems together, booking regular spa treatments, or even meeting with a therapist.
When you have the tools to manage your stress, it will be much easier to prevent it from negatively impacting your relationship.
Yes, you love each other and enjoy spending time together, but that doesn’t mean you need to be together every waking moment. In fact, spending too much time together can be unhealthy!
Instead, work on finding a balance between time spent together and time spent apart. Encourage each other to carve out some time to be alone or to hang out with close friends and family, and then plan to meet up for a date later that evening or the next day to reconvene as a couple.
Every relationship has its disagreements and conflicts, but the key is learning how to navigate and resolve them. If there’s an ongoing issue in your relationship, address it instead of just sweeping it under the rug. Talk it through, explain how it’s impacting your relationship, and discuss ways you can solve it. Depending on your situation, you may even want to meet with a therapist for additional guidance and support.
You might not resolve your conflicts overnight and it may take several trips back to the drawing board to work them out, but the important part is that you’re facing them head on and refusing to let them dictate your relationship.
We briefly touched on how relationship trust and respect are key characteristics, so let’s discuss how to sustain them in your own partnership.
Building and maintaining trust is all about honesty and integrity. You and your partner must be willing to be vulnerable and honest with each other, which requires creating a safe, non-judgemental space, where you’re both free to speak your truth. As you build trust in your relationship, you’ll find yourself being able to rely and depend on your partner more.
However, if trust breaks down, be sure to address it quickly and determine ways to resolve it so that you can focus on building a strong foundation.
Mutual, ongoing respect for each other leads to relationship longevity. This means you treat each other with kindness and dignity while recognizing each other’s boundaries and valuing each other’s thoughts and opinions.
When you’re able to establish and sustain mutual respect in your relationship, you and your partner can tackle whatever comes your way.
Looking ahead at your future as a couple can help you grow in the right direction.
Having a shared vision can help you work toward mutual goals and build a collective future together. In doing so, you can support and motivate each other and focus on achieving those goals as a couple, while advancing your relationship forward.
In your relationship, you and your partner might decide to train for a marathon together or save up for a big trip to Europe, but for another couple, their shared goals might involve purchasing their first home together or getting their Master’s degrees at the same time.
Whatever your goals are, make an effort to accomplish them together.
You and your partner must be each other’s cheerleaders. That means cheering each other along, encouraging them through tough times, and always having their back.
Whether your partner is trying to eat healthier, win an award at work, or learn to surf, it’s your job to motivate them to be the best versions of themselves. After all, when they’re the best versions of themselves, that version of them is what will show up in your relationship with them.
If you’ve never experienced these characteristics in your own relationships, you simply haven’t found the right person yet. Here at Tawkify, we’re committed to helping you find a compatible match with whom you can grow a happy, healthy bond.
Here at Tawkify, we understand the ins and outs of dating, and we know what it takes to create a long-lasting relationship. Our professional matchmakers will learn all about your dating goals and preferences and hand-select relationship-ready singles who meet your criteria to help put you on the road to success. Allow our matchmakers to help you find the perfect person today.
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