Relationships are a rollercoaster. Anyone who says they aren’t have probably never been in one! Either that or they are still in that glorious honeymoon phase where everything is perfect.
The fact is, it can sometimes be hard to know if your relationship is healthy because you’re in the middle of it. Your feelings for your partner can cloud your judgment and warp your views.
Thankfully, there are a few ways you can practically discover an answer to the question, “Is my relationship healthy?”. Keep reading to find out how to tell.
1. You Can Be Honest With Each Other
It really is true that “honesty is the best policy” and this is such a valuable principle in our relationships. If you feel that you are able to be honest with your partner, then it shows that your relationship is deeper than surface level.
Young or immature couples will be more inclined to keep secrets from one another because of a fear that the slightest disagreement will cause them to break up.
As we mature, we understand that relationships are complicated and people are complicated! The best thing we can be for our partner is honest. To keep no secrets and to be open about how we feel.
2. You Make Decisions Together
When you decide to share your heart with someone, you bring them in on your story. So it makes sense to also bring them in on the decisions you make.
Whether it’s a change of job, a new car, or even something as simple as what to do at the weekend, it’s affirming to your partner to make the decision together.
If you, or your partner, are in the habit of making decisions and then telling the other about it and expecting them to agree, bear in mind how you would feel if the shoe were on the other foot.
If you’re looking for more advice on how best to communicate with each other, check out these tips.
3. You’re OK With Time Apart
Another common aspect of young relationships is the need to be around each other all the time. While this is natural and encouraged at an early stage of the relationship, there has to come a time where you both need your independence.
You will each have other friendships to maintain, and one of the best ways to alienate yourself from your friends is to be infatuated with your partner for too long.
One of the characteristics of a healthy relationship is to be ok with spending time apart, whether it be the odd evening or even a weekend. Allowing your partner some freedom is a great way to show them love.
4. You Know Each Other’s Love Language
If you’ve never heard of love languages, you’ll want to read about them.
Basically, it describes the ways that make you feel most loved, whether that be physical touch, quality time, or one of the other love languages.
The theory is that whatever your love language is, you’ll naturally offer that to your partner. There’s not much you can do about this, but if you’re intentional about making your second love language the same as your partner’s first one, it’s incredibly affirming for your partner.
5. You Don’t Force Each Other to Change
Everyone has their idea of a perfect partner when they are young and single. Most of us will quickly realize that once we’ve dated a few people, it’s clear to see that we’ll never find the perfect person.
The danger then is that we try to change our partner into that perfect person. This can cause resentment to develop which is never a healthy emotion.
If you think that you might be trying to change your partner, try writing down all the things you love about them, and you’ll soon start to appreciate them simply for who they are.
6. Physical Passion
Yes, we’re talking about sex here! While it’s true that not every couple is the same in terms of their sex life, the thing to look out for is significant changes.
If you started off as a couple that was incredibly attracted to each other, but over time that spark has faded, then maybe it’s time to discuss why that might be.
Sure, nobody is going to maintain that crazy passionate early stage of a relationship, but if there are signs that one of you isn’t physically interested or might be a bit apprehensive to initiate, it’s worth looking at why. It’s more common than people think for males especially, to have libido issues or problems that make sex difficult. In most cases, a visit to a specialist at an ED Clinic North Overland Park (or elsewhere more relevant) can shine some light on the issues and help them on the path to recovery. While this can take some time to fix, it can ultimately make sex more engaging and frequent for a couple again.
7. You Respect Each Other
Respect in relationships is huge. It’s unhealthy for one person in a relationship to lord themselves over the other. Every couple jokes about who “wears the trousers” but these statements are usually used jovially.
If you feel that you are not being respected, maybe it’s time to raise this with your partner. And if it’s more serious than that and you are feeling abused, it’s important to seek help as soon as you can.
Respect is about understanding and appreciating that someone has their own life, their own emotions, and their own goals. Mutual respect is a beautiful thing to have in your relationship!
8. Laughter
One of the best things you can do for each other in your relationship is to make each other laugh. Not only does joking around together strengthen your bond, but it can also actually help maintain a positive mindset, and has even been shown to help manage physical issues!
It’s also worth mentioning, however, that making your partner laugh might not always be the best play, so use your best judgment!
Is My Relationship Healthy? Now You Know!
It’s great that you’re even asking the question “Is my relationship healthy?” because many couples could coast through life together without ever stopping to take stock of where they are at together.
Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into your own relationship and how healthy it is.
If you’re looking for more information and advice on topics like this, check out the Love section of the website.
