Being in a healthy relationship is one of the most amazing things that could happen to anyone. It’s a breath of fresh air to be with someone who appreciates you for who you are and that makes every day worth living.
When you compare the joy you experience from being in a good relationship to the despair that comes from being in a toxic one, you realize that you’ve been missing out on a lot. People often find themselves with someone who they thought was good for them until the red flags start waving.
Certainly, no relationship is perfect. We are all human and we have our shortcomings. But there are usually clear differences between a healthy and dysfunctional relationship.
Use these points as signs to determine whether you are in a healthy relationship or not.
There is mutual trust
In relationships, we tend to focus on the love we experience when we are with our partner. This romanticism can cover up other foundations that might even be more important than the fluttering feelings you get whenever you talk to your bae.
It’s important to be attracted to one other but you also need to have that mutual trust too. Without it, it’s hard for any relationship to stand firm.
Ask yourself whether you have mutual trust. If you do, that’s a good sign.
You grow as an individual
Healthy relationships are beautiful because they synchronize what is happening in your lives as partners as well as individuals.
A good relationship will expose some of the things you need to work on and push you to be a better person. Seeing positive effects in your lives will let you know that you’re meant for each other.
You can be yourselves
If we’re honest, the first stages of dating are usually about impressing each other in one way or another. You focus on putting your best foot forward because you don’t want to ruin your chances of being with someone amazing.
As the honeymoon phase fades you start to get more comfortable with each other and your authentic self begins to show. At this point good relationships will stand out because you grow to love and accept each other for who you truly are.
You handle disagreements in a healthy way
Disagreements are unavoidable in any relationship. The difference between a healthy and unhealthy relationships is whether you’re able to communicate your different points of view without things escalating all the time.
There should be no physical, verbal or emotional abuse from both sides at any point. It’s definitely alarming if you find yourselves constantly fighting.
You have healthy boundaries
Setting personal boundaries and respecting each other’s boundaries as well is something important to consider. You should communicate the things you like and those you don’t like to make sure they understand what you need from them. And, that means you should be ready to respect their boundaries as well.
This is an indicator that you are truly in a healthy, loving relationship.