Ever since we were children, we’ve grown up on a healthy appetite of romantic movies and novels. Don’t we all love them with their happily ever afters? But there’s a lot more to relationships unlike a fairytale that has generous amounts of romance and sex. There’s really no denying that attraction is an important part of a relationship, but there’s a lot more that’s needed to sustain the bond.
Every relationship has its ups and downs, highs and lows—and the real test happens when we face those circumstances. It isn’t that one has to agree with their partner, if they are wrong. That’s pretty unhealthy, and a huge red flag! To avoid that, partners need to find ways to communicate so that their equilibrium is not disturbed on a long-term basis.
Emotionally-healthy partners do things differently, and we can learn a lot from them!
So without further ado, let’s try and understand five tell tale signs that you are in an emotionally-healthy relationship:
# You and your partner share the same life valuesThis doesn’t mean you and your partner have to agree with each other all the time. You don’t have to have the same flavour of ice-cream or the same choice in movies. What matters is if you are on the same page in terms of basic values and life goals, what you want out of life, and what is important for you. It is also important to discuss this, so that you can achieve this together as a couple.
# Both of you have a strong sense of trustTrust is the cornerstone of any emotionally-healthy relationship. If you are able to discuss everything with your partner without the fear of judgment, then you certainly have a great relationship. You don’t need to have any hidden agenda or hide secrets, if your partner is true and understanding.
# You encourage each other to change and growWhen you are in a relationship, you must inspire your partner to be a better person. We all make mistakes, and that’s pretty normal; but if we constantly play blame games, and point fingers at them, that won’t make them learn. Instead, analyse the situation, speak about the mistakes, and then find solutions to not repeat it in the future.
# You do not try to one-up each otherWhen you are in a relationship, you do not have to compete with each other, or show that you are better than your partner. What’s really important is to have an equal footing in a relationship, so that both of you feel equally important in the relationship. Feeling inferior to your partner is a huge red flag, and if that happens, you must quit the relationship right away!
# You and your partner maintain healthy boundariesSpending time with each other’s friends and family is important, but that doesn’t have to happen all the time. You and your partner need to maintain healthy boundaries, and must not function as a unit all the time. It is absolutely healthy to have independent lives, and there’s nothing wrong with that!