9 Signs You’re in a Healthy Relationship

9 Signs You’re in a Healthy Relationship

 

You and your spouse like exploring new restaurants, taking long bike rides, and taking trips, but there are other factors than shared interests to take into account when it comes to a happy and healthy relationship.

What precisely qualifies as a healthy relationship? "A wonderful partnership is a secure environment where both parties can cherish, value, and regard one another," said North Carolina-based leadership and relationship coach Jennifer Howell. You are able to listen to the other person and express your needs, desires, and limits.

It's critical to foster healthy relationships because unhealthy ones have a detrimental effect on one's quality of life. As Houston-based licensed professional counselor Mary Jo Rapini, who specializes in intimacy and sex therapy, notes, these relationships can exacerbate depression and anxiety, disrupt sleep, lead to the adoption of unhealthy habits, and even have an adverse effect on one's heart health.

A 2019 research found that being in a high-quality romantic relationship is linked to better well-being. However, the research discovered that being single was considerably more beneficial to one's wellbeing than being in an unhappy relationship.

Furthermore, according to Rapini, a lot of couples in toxic relationships are unaware that they are, particularly if they were raised in a home where it was the norm. It is thus the more crucial to determine where yours stands.

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These nine indicators show that you and your partner are a good fit:

1. You Don't Fear to Speak Up

If your spouse doesn't help out around the home or doesn't contact you for two days, it's simple to tell when they're doing something you don't like about them. If you live together, this may be the case. However, it's not always simple to express your feelings to your partner. Knowing that you have to come from a vulnerable place requires a great deal of strength, bravery, and self-confidence, according to Howell. You'll feel safe enough to be honest with your lover in a happy relationship.

2. The Foundation of Any Relationship Is Trust

All relationships are built on trust, but with social media and always-on devices, it may be much too simple to spy. But you don't have to do that in a happy relationship. That's partly because your spouse demonstrates their dependability to you. They are dependable and accessible. Rapini asserts, "They will show up when they say they will. Additionally, she continues, they demonstrate their faith in you by allowing you the independence and space you need without continuously monitoring you, even by looking at your phone.

3. You are aware of one another's love language

For good reason, many couples swear by the book The 5 Love Languages: it helps you identify your partner's "love language," or the method they like to express and receive love (whether it via physical contact, gifts, acts of service, or affirmations). According to Howell, in a good relationship, you've taken the time to figure out each other's "love language" so you can communicate your affection in a manner that suits you both.

4. You Accept That You May Not Agree on Some Issues

All couples argue. Contrary to popular belief, however, not every problem has to be fixed. It's really OK to disagree on a few points that you two will never come to terms with. It's very OK to disagree at times. That's healthy fighting, in my opinion," says Rapini. "At least five problems are 'no-talkers' in good partnerships. These are the matters on which your perspectives and opinions diverge, and that's OK.

5. You Support One Another in Pursuing Your Objectives

"A lot of us have goals or aspirations for our lives, and we want to stick with those as we get older," says Howell. As long as you "honor and encourage each other to achieve your goals," Howell says, it's OK if your aspirations diverge.

6. You and Your Spouse Have Different Interests

According to her, "the most successful couples are those who are able to maintain their interests and don't feel guilty about not sharing them with their partner." In other words, you both support one another in pursuing their passions independently. Howell concurs, saying that while it's simple to pick up your partner's hobbies and routines, becoming too dependent on one another over time may lead to bitterness. "Investing in and growing yourself fosters joy, self-love, and self-confidence," the speaker claims.

7. You Feel at ease with who you are

Knowing your talents and flaws is important when you're in a relationship, according to Howell. It's possible that you feel comfortable with your pals yet awkward at work. Or you are aware that even seemingly little things, like your spouse forgetting to take out the garbage, can make you angry. Understanding your strengths and shortcomings can help you get to a place where you can love and accept who you are, which will, in turn, help you love and accept your spouse.

8. Boundaries Are Respected and Honored

When a relationship is healthy, both parties are on the same team. Howell states that in a good relationship, both partners talk about and decide on significant issues that are important to them. She uses the example of setting aside money for a significant purchase, like a trip. That objective is not honored by an unsupportive spouse in an unhealthy relationship, and they may even work against it by attempting to convince you to spend money needlessly. It's encouraging if you can discuss things with your spouse and they respect and appreciate your limits, says Howell. But it's troubling, she adds, if your spouse consistently disregards your boundaries and other values.

9. You Have Joy and Encouragement

After the novelty of a new relationship wears off, ask yourself whether you are content and supportive of your spouse. How do you feel about yourself? It's good to speak to your significant other if you feel under pressure or unsupported.

Relationship dissatisfaction might eventually result in health issues. A 2015 study that examined nearly 5,000 partnered adults over 50 found that frequent negative interactions in a relationship raise the risk of depression and anxiety, and is even associated with suicidal thoughts. This is probably because relationship dysfunction exacerbates daily stress. Strong alliances, on the other hand, shield individuals just when they need someone on their side, during a crisis.