Just as you are different so is every relationship. To have a healthy love life, you must give it time to grow and be intentional about working on it. You and your significant other must share a common goal for what you want the relationship to be and where you want it to go. Our relationships are an actual reflection of us. A healthy love life is not a just a blessing to the lovers but to their family and friends.
Here are the 7 qualities your love life needs to be healthy.
Respect
Respect is one of the most important characteristics of a healthy relationship. Respect your partner’s feelings, thoughts and views. Lasting healthy relationships involves the partners having value for each other. Show you care and respect them with your choice of words, actions, and behaviors. It’s how you show them that they matter and you care about their feelings. If you want to be with that person each day, make them feel that way.
You should also respect the other’s boundaries like they would yours. It’s important not to forget that you’re two separate people with separate needs, including some needs that you may not share. You will not agree on everything, and sometimes you may not want the same things. It’s important to respect these differences and not push each other’s boundaries, be they emotional or physical. Boundaries are a necessary characteristic of a healthy relationship.
Trust
A healthy relationship survives and thrives on trust. Be willing to trust your partner completely. believe what your partner tells you and trust that they always act in the best interest of the relationship and you.Trust them not only with your feelings but with your weaknesses. You will have to learn trust at the emotional, physical, and spiritual level. Trust takes practice and is earned gradually. When trust is broken, though it is difficult to restore but if you are willing to work on it, you can find a way to repair a breach in trust.
Honesty
Don’t we just find it easy to be honest about the way we feel when it’s all roses and sunshine? The fact you’re in a relationship is to help bring out the best traits in your partner. You know that whatever they share with you comes from a place of love, just as what you tell them about themselves is with all honesty. You encourage each as the relationship makes you confident in yourself. Relationships require transparency and vulnerability One of the demands of a healthy relationship is you’re willing to share what’s going on, no matter how ugly. Partners need to be open and honest about their feelings and things going on in their lives. Tolerating lies and deception will not contribute to the life span of the relationship. If you can’t believe your partner when they tell you something, or if your partner is hiding things from you, it’s going to be hard for you to feel safe. There is no room for secrecy, as it can lead to feelings of distrust. Honesty helps foster trust and a belief in each other, which is crucial to making it over the long run.
Commitment
The start of any relationship should begin by setting the standards of expectations. A quality relationship requires commitment from both parties. Commitment goes two ways – commitment to each other, as well as the relationship. If you think about the health and future of the relationship instead of just your own, you’re likely to take more constructive actions and behave differently. It’s not just about getting your needs met. It’s about replenishing the fire so your relationship can last.
It is your commitment to give of yourself and ensure that you always put the best interest of your mate and the relationship at the forefront of any decision. That’s what a healthy relationship is all about.
Forgiveness
People have qualities, characteristics, and behaviors that can be quite irritating. To make your relationship last, you have to accept your partner unconditionally— behavior, flaws, and all. Likewise, you will sometimes feel hurt in a relationship because we’re all humans who make mistakes. Things happen, and sometimes they are bad things. That’s life for you. The key is to forgive. Remember forgiveness is crucial to the longevity of any relationship and to your physical and mental wellbeing. You have to let go of pain and hurt, and also be willing to ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness takes courage, vulnerability, and practice. Don’t think forgiving another means you’re a pushover or tolerating being disrespected by your partner. Even if you can’t forget what happened, forgiveness is a good trait. Talk things over and always be open to forgive your mate. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you must stay remain in the relationship; it means you don’t hold on to grudges, they are blindfold on the path of happiness.
Affection
A healthy relationship will be loving, gentle, and affectionate. But as we settle into more years in our relationships we often forget to show love and affection towards our partners. But affection is a key quality of a healthy relationship. No unnecessary public display here but affection can be a simple touch, a warm embrace, a loving word, or any other small way you can show your partner that you love them. You want to be sure that your partner gets the quality of affection that shows them you love them, and you should receive the same in return. To be most affectionate, you have to know how your partner receives love best and do more of that. Is it a loving word, a thoughtful gesture, help around the house, or doing something special for them? The better you know what your partner enjoys, the more affectionate you can be. The idea is to allow the physical closeness to demonstrate your feelings and desire to make your mate feel loved.
Appreciation
Gratitude is key for the health of a relationship. Who haven’t taken their partner for granted? It may not be intentional. If you can regularly remind yourself how lucky you are and how valuable your partner is, and tell them so, you will boost the happiness and longevity of your lovelife. Your relationship should overflow with gratefulness because you appreciate each other, and compliment each other. Recognise what your partner is doing, and let them know that you’re thankful for it. You’re both stakeholders in this relationship so initiate small acts of kindness to show that you appreciate your significant other. It would make your partner feel valued and worthy of being in the relationship.
