Healthy Relationships: How To Find Healthy Love

Connection is part of human nature. We are social beings and tend to thrive when our connections with others are healthier. We will have many types of relationships during our life, with friends, family members, and long term partners, so developing healthy connections is an important part of us being able to thrive.

When it comes to love and identifying exactly what recipe is needed for a healthy relationship, it can feel confusing. This is because every person has different needs within a relationship.

If you’re wondering, ‘What is a healthy relationship?’, or you’d like to understand more about the signs of a healthy relationship, read on to discover what defines healthy love.

Understanding the Basics of Healthy Relationships

A healthy relationship feels good for both partners, and is based on mutual love for one another. There are many different characteristics of a healthy relationship, but ultimately, it must meet both people’s needs.

So what makes a healthy relationship? You’ll instinctively know when a relationship feels healthy because you come away feeling positive. Healthy relationship characteristics include mutual respect, trust, and open communication.

No relationship is perfect, and during stress or conflict, it often won’t feel as healthy. But there are many characteristics of healthy relationships that provide a strong core to keep the relationship balanced.

The 5 A's of a Healthy Relationship

Affection

Affection plays an important part in maintaining healthy romantic relationships. Physical touch such as holding hands, hugging, kissing and generally being close, helps to show a partner affection. On a human level, physical touch is a great way to boost a relationship and maintain intimacy.

Attention

Paying attention to a partner is one of the vital characteristics of healthy relationships. Attention might look like spending time together, listening to each other, and generally paying attention to the things that are important to one another.

Appreciation

Another vital factor in a healthy relationship is appreciation. Whether it’s making eye contact when your partner is speaking, or thanking them for the things that they do, a little appreciation always goes a long way in making sure a partner feels valued.

Acceptance

A healthy relationship requires acceptance of the other person. Wanting to change and control somebody is a common trait in unhealthy relationships, where instead there needs to be a mutual respect for eachother. Each of us must embrace the other person’s differences, and accept them for who they are.

Allowance

An important part of being in a healthy relationship is giving each other the space to explore individual interests. Time alone is often as important as time together, so that hobbies and passions can be pursued. Allowing the other person the space to be who they are is a good sign that a partner feels comfortable in themselves, and also wants to maintain their independence.

The Core Characteristics of Healthy Love

Trust and Honesty

Trust is an important factor when it comes to how to have a healthy relationship. Establishing a strong foundation of trust helps a partnership to grow in stability, and allows each person to feel safe and secure within the relationship.

Communication

A healthy relationship allows a person to feel safe in sharing their thoughts and feelings openly and honestly, and vice versa. This kind of openness allows your partner to see the whole of you, and helps to build trust in each other.

Mutual Respect

Having a mutual respect for one another is a key sign of a healthy relationship. This allows each person to feel valued in the partnership, and able to express their innermost dreams and fears. Each partner should also respect the other’s boundaries, and value their decisions.

Quality Time

As a partnership, it’s important to spend time together to strengthen the bond between you. Quality time alone means making space to focus on each other without distractions, and using this time to nurture your relationship.

Independence

After time, many people who are in a relationship often forget to pursue their own passions, and maintain their individuality. Often, they don’t feel that these things are important, but nurturing who you are as an individual, and following your own interests, is vital for your own growth and mental health. Looking after your own personal growth will only serve to add to your relationship.

Digging Deeper: The 3 C’s of Healthy Relationships

Communication

No relationship will be smooth sailing all of the time, but when challenges do arise, those who are able to communicate in a healthy way will reap the rewards of a satisfying, long-lasting relationship. Good communication also means being able to express yourself in compassionate ways, and being able to see things from the other person’s side.

Compromise

As with communication, compromise is another important requirement of healthy relationships. A strong partner will understand that they need to, at times, meet the other person halfway, and there should be a desire to find that middle ground where both can find happiness.

Commitment

It takes time and commitment to grow a healthy relationship. Each person must choose to dedicate time towards growing the relationship, making decisions together, and supporting one another. When challenges arise, both partners must be responsible for resolving differences, and working to strengthen the future of the relationship.

Spotting Red Flags: What Makes a Relationship Toxic?

When a relationship becomes unhealthy, the other partner’s behaviour starts to harm the other person, and the relationship as a whole. This might look like being controlled, not being listened to, being criticised, feeling afraid to be yourself, or even abuse such as domestic violence. When there is a lack of trust, or a partner begins to feel unsafe, this will have a huge impact on mental health.

Maintaining the Spark: How to Nurture a Healthy Relationship

It’s always important to make time to ensure a relationship is nourished, so that it continues to strengthen and feel satisfying for both people. When It comes to how to maintain a healthy relationship, try checking in regularly with each other’s thoughts and feelings, and being there for your partner, no matter what. Always be open and honest, and ensure you pay attention to your partner, whether that’s active listening, or noticing when they might be struggling with something.

Key Takeaways

Building and maintaining healthy relationships is essential for both partners’ happiness and wellbeing, and for the longevity of the relationship. Always ensure you spend time nurturing your own well-being, and prioritising your needs within the relationship too. Learn to trust your instincts; whilst not every partnership might be unhealthy, there are always improvements to be considered, that will benefit you both.

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It’s clear that self-development is important within a relationship, so if you’d like support or guidance within your own journey of enlightenment, get in touch today to find out how spiritual relationship coaching can help you to build fulfilling relationships.