What Makes a Healthy Relationship?

A lot of people may say that a good relationship is one that comes effortlessly and doesn’t take any work, but that’s not always the case. Just like good and better health can be encouraged by taking the time to work out and eat right, a relationship can be made healthier and more successful through active steps taken to provide the attention and care needed.

So what makes a healthy relationship?

1. Always Making Time for One Another

A good relationship doesn’t have to mean spending 24 hours of the day together, but it does mean spending some time together. Work schedules and other life commitments can easily get in the way of quality time spent with one another, especially if you come home tired and ready for sleep.

Sparing time for each other may take more active attention and commitment if you’re both busy, but it should be done – and it should never be a chore. Even just a designated date night once a week can leave you both with some quality time to look forward to spent together.

2. Never Ignoring Conflict

A healthy relationship doesn’t mean that there will never be any conflict or arguments. What matters more is how you choose to handle the conflict. If issues are constantly brushed aside and ignored, this can build resentment over time and lead to relationship troubles in the future.

However, if serious conflict arises which you cannot fix, it’s essential to know when to walk away. You should end the relationship if you ever feel unsafe or that you both have irreconcilable differences; a Lake County divorce attorney can always help if you are thinking of ending a marriage, for example.

3. Maintaining Mutual Respect

The moment when respect starts to slip leads to put-downs and criticisms, which can have a severe effect on self-esteem and emotional stability within the relationship. Even during arguments, you can have a heated discussion which still respects your partner’s point of view, and all personal attacks should be avoided.

4. Emotional Intimacy is Just as Important as Physical

Intimacy isn’t just about being physical. It’s also about creating a safe space for your partner to share their feelings and know that they are respected and loved. You and your partner need to know that you can share essential emotions with one another and that you have a close bond that extends further than just physical impulses.

If you find that you are overly physical with a fantastic sex life, but you are lacking in any emotional bond or discussion of feelings, this needs to be rectified for a healthier understanding.

5. However, Physical Intimacy is Important, Too!

Using exactly the same logic, if you have an amazing emotional bond, but you are rarely (or perhaps never) physically intimate with one another, this may cause a problem. Physical intimacy doesn’t have to mean sex – it can mean touches, hugs, kisses and certain movements to let your partner know you are attracted to them and physically aligned with them. If the physical side is lacking, steps should be taken to find out why.

Thanks to Ana