Four types of relationships you should know

Relationships take different shapes and forms. By labelling them, it helps you understand what you have and set the appropriate boundaries.

Being in a relationship does not necessarily mean romantic but can be nonromantic too.

So long as you share similar interests, reach an understanding, have open and honest communication while respecting each other, it is very possible for two people to have a healthy relationship.

Relationships come in different variations. For instance, colleagues can be close friends, a couple could be married but have a sexless marriage and there is also the touchy subject of toxic family members, a story for another day.

Although romantic relationships are typically what we think about when talking about relationships, there are three other types of relationships you should know of. Let’s have a look:

These are the first people you form a bond with from the time you were born. They include your parents, grandparents, siblings and relatives.

Your family make you who you are by instilling values and traditions that were also passed down on them. These are the people who are there for you despite the ups and downs and chances are, you have the strongest connections with at least one of them.

Families may not be perfect but we always find a way to work things around when conflict presents itself. And to be honest, this is one of the purest and genuine relationships you can ever have especially if your family members are mature, reliable and they can be trusted.

Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are. Your friends will have a huge impact on you and who you allow into your inner circle is super important and should not be taken lightly.

The wrong type of friends will influence you negatively and they may drag you down to their level. A good friendship should not change who you are unless it is for the better.

A good friend will accept you as you are, show interest in your life and help you feel good about yourself. A good friendship offers the support system and shoulder to lean on in good and bad times. Align yourself with people who have goals, visions and are making moves in their own lives.

We all have acquaintances thing is, most of us actually don’t know it. Just because you don’t know someone intimately but you have a connection, that is an acquaintance.

These are people you interact with at your work place, coffee shop or where you live. You don’t know them personally and for whatever reason, you haven’t gotten a chance to take those social encounters to the next level of friendship.

It is characterized with greetings and small talk that make the experience where you are enjoyable and comfortable.

We all long for that one person we can spend our entire lives with and this person can make or break your entire life.

So, whether you’re dating, in a committed relationship, casual relationship or a situationship, there are different types of relationships.

Built on trust, communication and love, romantic relationships require a lot of work from both partners to allow the sharing of deep thoughts and emotions without fear or judgement. As you grow into it, you grow closer and become one.

But to enjoy true genuine love, you must first love yourself. This will help you make healthier choices when picking a partner.