Do you know the signs of a healthy relationship? How do you know you have a healthy relationship with your partner?
Many couples assume their relationship is healthy because they love each other, but there are other key ingredients needed to sustain a loving relationship.
Love is not the only thing that makes a relationship successful.
Many couples go into romantic relationships hoping that love would be enough to keep them together, but they soon learn that they need a lot more than that.
Taking a healthy relationship test can be the fastest way to know if you have a good relationship or not.
If you’re unsure about your love life, look out for these healthy relationship signs.
10 SURE SIGNS YOU’RE IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
According to relationship experts, healthy couples have good habits that they practice daily to keep them connected to each other.
If you want to know the status of your current relationship, here are 10 real signs of a healthy relationship:
#1 You’re deeply, passionately, and wholeheartedly in love with each other
True love is one of the first signs of a healthy relationship. It doesn’t mean that because you love each other you won’t quarrel or fight.
It simply means that you remember your love even when you’re mad at one another; you don’t allow quarrels or small fights to put a wedge between you.
When you’re in a healthy relationship, you still do the things you usually do to help each other even after a big fight.
Fights and quarrels are inevitable in a healthy relationship. However, long-term couples who remain together are the ones who know how to reconnect emotionally.
In a good relationship, when you fight, what matters is your ability to look beyond the conflicts and settle amicably because you love each other deeply.
But this is not the case in unhealthy relationships where couples keep grudges, use the silent treatment, and ignore problems instead of talking about them.
If you both feel loved, wanted, and supported most of the time, that’s a sure sign you have a healthy romantic relationship.
#2 You support one another to chase your goals and dreams
Another important sign of a healthy relationship is giving and receiving great support on a consistent basis.
This means that you support each other through thick or thin. Your partner is your biggest fan and you are their greatest mentor.
Even when your significant other doesn’t believe in their big dreams, you believe in them and show them strong support until they achieve their goals.
When others say they won’t succeed, you stand by them with an unwavering belief that they have the potential to succeed.
A sure sign of a healthy relationship is when you and your partner always try to encourage each other to go after important life goals and you’re both free to chase your passion.
When times get hard, you build one another up instead of tearing each other down with hurtful words or actions.
That doesn’t mean you can expect support for everything you do, though.
If your partner is nagging you to quit smoking, eat better, or not stay up late at the office every night, they’re probably doing it out of concern for your well-being.
In a bad relationship, no one cares about the other person’s growth.
Instead of working together to become their best selves, they compete and pull each other down.
#3 You’re both completely honest, transparent, and vulnerable
A lot of couples struggle with being honest and vulnerable with each other because they’re afraid of losing their relationship.
Should I tell my partner the truth when I know they will be mad at me? Or should I let them find out and risk destroying the relationship we’ve built?
Those are the only two options you’ve got; to tell or not to tell. In a healthy relationship, you always have to go with the truth no matter how awful it is.
If your partner loves you enough, they’ll get angry or sad for a while but afterward, they will totally understand and forgive you.
Honesty is one of the virtues that can make or break your relationship; healthy couples always choose the truth in every situation.
One prevailing aspect of a toxic relationship is the nasty lies being told daily and the dirty secrets that are hidden from each other because there is no trust.
Strong relationships happen because couples are honest, transparent, and vulnerable with one another consistently.
A sign of healthy love is when you know your partner will be furious at you and you still go ahead to tell them the truth because you know it’s the right thing to do at that moment.
#4 You have a strong sense of trust in each other
Trust is one of the biggest issues couples deal with in romantic relationships and it’s the glue that holds everything together.
It’s really easy to love someone but trust doesn’t come so easily; you have to earn it.
When you’re in a healthy loving relationship, you have an inner knowing that your partner is doing their best to be a good person at all times and that you can trust them to be loyal even when you’re apart.
This means you don’t follow them to find out where they’re really going if they say they’re visiting a friend.
You don’t also stalk them on social media to see who is liking their photos or scroll through their chats looking for suspicious texts.
If you’ve gotten to that point in your relationship where you feel at ease and don’t have that gut feeling to suspect your partner or snoop around, you have something solid.
Couples in healthy relationships consistently keep their promises, respect each other’s boundaries, and stick to the rules of the relationship.
If you and your partner trust each other completely, this is a clear sign that you’re in a good relationship.
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#5 There’s no form of abuse in your relationship
In a healthy romantic relationship, couples don’t abuse each other verbally, emotionally, or physically.
When you say you love someone you don’t hurt them deliberately or use violence when you’re angry or provoked. That’s not a healthy love relationship.
You don’t love someone and hurt them on purpose continuously. Healthy love is kind, patient, and caring, not hurtful.
No one should have to put up with being bullied, manipulated, or emotionally blackmailed in a relationship.
If your partner threatens to leave you, withhold affection, or in some other way punish you during every little disagreement, your relationship may not be as healthy as you think.
In a positive relationship, couples argue in a safe environment and find workable solutions together. Arguments never involve physical violence.
They always remember to fight fair and don’t treat each other like opponents or adversaries. Healthy couples know that when it comes to disagreements, they’re on the same team.
If you’re able to treat each other nicely and still show love even when you’re upset, that’s a good sign of growth in your relationship.
#6 You’re both secure enough to give the other person privacy and space
Privacy goes hand in hand with trust and it’s often non-negotiable in healthier relationships.
When you trust your partner completely, you don’t suspect them of cheating on you or hiding things from you.
You don’t question what they’re doing when you’re not around; you just give them the breathing space and freedom they need to explore their own personality.
And they also give you the same privileges regardless of your gender or age.
In a healthy relationship, adequate space is an important factor that needs to be established from the beginning because it’s essential.
As unique individuals, we all need privacy and independence to do what we want as long as it’s good and healthy for us.
Even though you and your partner have a few common interests that you share, this doesn’t mean you have to do everything together as a couple.
Couples in a new relationship often don’t know where to draw the line and there are no healthy boundaries set in the early stages of dating.
This is what leads to unhealthy relationships where people are not allowed to have personal interests or set boundaries.
In a truly loving relationship, couples know that they can trust each other without reservation and they are allowed to have a life outside the relationship.
They don’t need to desperately cling to their partners because of the fear of abandonment. Healthy couples are mature and secure enough to let go every single day.
#7 You communicate your feelings openly
Research shows that couples who have open communication often enjoy a happy life with each other.
In this type of relationship, everyone is heard and their relationship needs are met.
When you’re in a healthy relationship, you can talk about anything without fear of judgment, criticism, or rejection.
You feel free to be yourself and talk about everything with your partner including your own needs.
You’re not afraid to talk about finances, health, intimacy, or other delicate topics.
In a great relationship, there’s no need to hide anything from your partner. They’re your best friend, your soul mate, your confidante and they totally understand you.
You can’t wait to get home from work so you can tell them about your crazy day at work or about that interesting story you heard from a colleague.
This is not often the case if you’re in a bad relationship. You’ll easily notice that in an unhealthy relationship, it’s difficult to talk with your partner without fighting.
You seem to never agree on the little things and there is always a hidden agenda.
The key to a happy and long-term relationship is healthy communication because if you can talk about anything, you can solve any problem together.
If you communicate well with your significant other, you have one of the best qualities of a healthy relationship.
Couples who enjoy the best intimate relationships are often the ones who know how to communicate in a healthy way.
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#8 There is mutual respect in your relationship
Many people take this for granted when they’ve been together for a while.
They assume that since their partner loves them, they don’t need to beg them to stay.
So, they talk to their partner anyhow and treat their partner like trash. They don’t have any respect for their partner or their different perspectives.
In a healthy relationship, there has to be mutual respect for a couple to stay together for the long haul.
Even if one person is having a bad day or they’re going through a difficult time, they still remember to give each other the respect that they deserve.
Respect is one of the main characteristics of a healthy relationship, whether it’s friendship, dating, or marriage.
A partner who respects you is willing to listen to you in a non-judgmental way and considers your opinion when making major decisions.
Any partner who disrespects you by making belittling comments about you, criticizing you in front of others, or disregarding your feelings is one you don’t need.
When you treat each other with respect, you can have a mutually beneficial relationship together.
#9 You spend quality time with each other frequently
No matter how busy you are, it’s important to spend quality time with each other as a couple.
When I say quality time, I don’t mean talking to your partner while you’re mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or Instagram.
Quality time means dedicating a specific amount of time to being with your loved one without distractions or the interference of gadgets or kids.
It also means you’re not too busy to connect emotionally or to give each other undivided attention at the end of the day.
Many couples try to bond by making small talk while they’re looking at photos on social media or watching TV.
There is no way you’ll have a deep conversation with your partner when you’re absent-minded or distracted by other things.
If you often try to set aside time during the weekend for a date night, a couples quiz, or a nice little picnic for two, that’s a great sign that you’re headed in the right direction.
Healthy couples know the value of a great time and they always create time for bonding because they know it will keep them close.
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#10 You both prioritize romance and intimacy in your relationship
A lot of people say that physical intimacy is not important in a relationship but research has shown that couples who have an active life are often happier.
If you make love regularly with your partner or you make efforts to connect intimately, you’re a few steps away from being in a healthy relationship.
Of course, regularly doesn’t mean doing it every single day. That’s nearly impossible! Making love once or twice a week is enough to keep the spark alive.
Aside from getting under the sheets though, you also need to create time for romance.
Don’t wait until you want to get intimate before you play with your significant other. Foreplay begins long before intercourse.
An important way to know if you’re in a good relationship is that you’re both intentional about maintaining your emotional connection in and out of the bedroom.
Healthy couples often do the small things regularly to help improve their relationship and increase their bond.
As long as you’re working on keeping the love alive with fun couple activities, your relationship is on the right track.
Conclusion
So, do you think you have a great relationship? I’ve just given you 10 sure signs you’re in a healthy relationship to help you know if you have a thriving love life.
These are some of the essential qualities of long-lasting love. You must have them in your relationship to ensure growth as a couple.
If you’re not sure about the state of your love life, all you have to do is take a look at your relationship and tick all the qualities that are currently present.
If you notice any red flags in your relationship, work on them with your partner or a qualified relationship coach.
Your relationship doesn’t need to have all the signs of a healthy relationship but it should have at least 6 out of the 10 qualities mentioned above.
If your relationship doesn’t measure up, you have to work on it. Use this Healthy Relationship Checklist to figure out your relationship status.
Find out the areas where you and your partner are lagging behind and work on them together.
No one has a perfect relationship so don’t beat yourself up if it seems as if your own relationship is below average.
As long as you and your partner love each other, it should be enough to keep the boat afloat while you work on other areas.
Recommended Reading:
17 Exciting Games for Couples Date Night at Home
How To Communicate Better In A Relationship
14 Best Healthy Relationship Tips For Couples To Practice Everyday
Top 10 Green Flags In A Relationship To Look Out For
About The Author
Jennifer Dagi
Jennifer Dagi is happily married to her best friend and the love of her life.
As a relationship coach, she is passionate about helping couples build healthy and happy relationships.
She strongly believes communication and intimacy are the most important ingredients for building a successful relationship.
Join her on a fabulous journey to improve your love life one step at a time and don't forget to subscribe for weekly blog updates.