It can be hard to see a relationship clearly when you’re infatuated, but I’ve written down 10 signs that you’re in a healthy relationship. We all deserve to be loved and treated well. Sometimes, especially in the beginning stages of a relationship, we get so excited about someone that we forget to look out for warning signs. While I’ve talked about red flags before and plan on doing that again, today I’ll point out signs that show your relationship is on the right track.
10 Signs That Your Relationship Is Healthy
1. Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is perhaps the most important sign that your relationship is healthy. Without mutual respect, there is no space for disagreements, as well as no way to honour one another. It is just as important to show one another respect in public as it is in privacy. You wouldn’t want a partner to joke about you in front of others. However, if you have a picture-perfect relationship in public but a different story behind closed doors, that should be a huge worry for you.
2. You Can Ask Questions
Social media platforms are flooded with videos of ‘10 Questions to ask your partner’. What I’ve noticed is that comments are flooded with people saying they didn’t know how to start such conversations. Sometimes they’d point out that their partners weren’t willing to open up, or found it bothersome and invasive. In my opinion, a healthy relationship should allow space to ask any sort of questions. If you’re looking to build a life with someone, openness is vital. By asking questions we also get to know each other. If your partner isn’t willing to do that or doesn’t show interest in you, why are they even with you?
3. Willing to Learn and Improve
Now, if your partner doesn’t like answering questions, the first step of action isn’t dumping them. It would be chatting with them and expressing why it is important to you. If they are willing to hear you out, reflect, and change their view – great! That shows their willingness to learn and improve. We all have bad habits or behaviours that we could work on. It’s all about being open to receiving feedback and working on it.
4. Admit Your Faults
We’re quick to point out the faults in others, but how easy do you find it to apologise? There is no room for pride in a healthy relationship. Therefore, being able to admit your faults and apologise is essential.
5. You’re Allowed to Say No
I could write a whole blog post about the importance of this. Especially when it comes to romantic relationships, a lack of respect for your ‘no’ could be an indicator of a lack of consent in the relationship. No matter how big or small the issue, you have a right to say no to things. You can say no to a hug, no to a dessert, no to having a drink, no to staying out late. If you’re not comfortable with something – say no to it. Then watch how the person reacts. If they try to persuade you instead of respecting your decline – I’d be very careful going forward.
6. Boundaries are Discussed
Speaking of saying no, it’s important to talk about boundaries. There should be no judgment in expressing what you’re comfortable with or not comfortable with. It’s definitely an indicator of a healthy relationship if both parties can express their boundaries and the other person respects that.
7. Your Relationship Isn’t a Secret
While you might not want to broadcast your first dates, people should know who you’re going out with. And by people, I mean those you trust and know want the best for you. It’s reasonable to take time to make it public knowledge as people can be nosey, but it shouldn’t take too long or be a huge deal. If someone is asking you to keep a relationship with them secret, you should really question why that is.
8. You Continue Working on Yourself
A relationship isn’t meant to validate you to the point where you feel like you have arrived. Just because someone chose to be with you, doesn’t mean that the work of self-development is finished. As a generation of emotionally aware people, we know that there is much work to be done on our emotional intelligence. There are plenty of books about it, as well as books about being a good partner and growing your self-awareness overall.
9. You Both Have Your Individual Passions
Your partner shouldn’t be your sole source of validation or your whole focus. Both of you should have your own interests, hobbies that allow you to relax or skills to work on. We all have different gifts and talents and being in a relationship shouldn’t stop us from developing them.
10. You Encourage One Another
Speaking of our gifts, it’s great when the person we’re with encourages us as we grow. We’re all a work in progress, and that progress is so much sweeter when someone is cheering us on. While your passions could be very different and you may be clueless about theirs, you can still express how impressed you are with their work ethic and dedication.
Final Thoughts
I’m sure there are many more than 10 signs that you’re in a healthy relationship. These are the first ones that popped into my head based on my experiences. If you have more to add, I’d love to hear it in the comments!