5 Essentials to Having a Healthy Relationship

        At One Love, we're committed to educating people about the differences between a good and unhealthy relationship. Healthy connections make you feel good and lift you up, but toxic relationships make you feel bad and might even make you miserable. While most of our #ThatsNotLove material focuses on describing harmful habits, we also want to show you what it takes to have a healthy relationship. 

                    Everyone deserves to be in a happy, healthy relationship, and with the proper partner at their side, this is very possible. Here are 5 keys for maintaining a healthy relationship if you want to be that #relationshipgoals couple.

1. Communication

                    "Communication is crucial," you've almost certainly heard. But here's the thing: there's a reason it's a cliché. One of the most critical parts of having a successful relationship is good communication. It's crucial to be able to communicate about what you want and anticipate when starting a new relationship. This may include being open and honest about difficult topics, but if you're in a good relationship, your spouse will be receptive and listen (and you should do the same). 

                    Being on the same page as your spouse goes a long way, and it's equally vital to speak up to your partner about what's hurting you, compromise over arguments, and appreciate one other. While communication is essential, you should both be comfortable with the frequency with which you communicate with one another. It's not good if your spouse expects you to respond immediately and text them all day if you don't want to. On the other hand, if your spouse consistently ignores your texts and it makes you feel bad, it isn't healthy either. It's critical to strike a communication balance that you and your partner are both happy with.

2. Respect

                Listening to your spouse (not simply waiting for them to talk) and attempting to understand their point of view is an important approach to demonstrate respect in your relationship. Respect your partner's choices and beliefs, even if you disagree about who should be the next president or whether you're Team Kimye and they're Team Taylor. Try not to encourage them to alter their minds about things that matter to them, such as studying abroad for a semester or where they want to reside after graduation. Both parties in a good relationship will have mutual regard for one another. Just because you don't always agree doesn't mean one of you has to alter their views in order for your relationship to succeed.

                                Respect for your partner's privacy and limits is another important aspect of establishing respect in a relationship. You don't have the right to know everything your spouse does or who they interact with. It also entails being aware of your partner's feelings and refraining from doing things that may cause them significant pain, such as keeping things between you two that are intended to be private. Knowing each other's passcodes and seeing the pinkheartemoji.pngpink heart emoji next to their names on Snapchat aren't indicators of a good relationship. While sharing those things is OK, good relationships need some distance and a filter!

3. Boundaries

                We all have our own personal boundaries in terms of what makes us feel good, secure, and safe. You should feel 100 percent comfortable communicating such limits in a healthy relationship and trust that they will be respected (and vice versa for your partner). It's fine if you just want to hang out three times a week; it's good if you want to wait before getting personal; it's fine if you want to keep your Monday Funday night with the biffles. 

                        Remember that setting personal limits in any relationship should not be a source of anxiety or fear. If you believe your spouse or a friend is using limits to exert control over you, speak out. It's time to reassess the relationship if you've been told not to get out with pals or forced to disclose passwords.

4. Trust

This is a significant issue. Mutual and unrestrained trust between partners is required in all good partnerships. Regardless of what either partner has gone through in the past, such as a cheating ex or a parent's divorce, your spouse will trust you entirely in a healthy relationship. DO keep in mind that building trust in a relationship takes time (it normally doesn't happen immediately away!) and that you should appreciate and not compromise your partner's confidence when they entrust you with their feelings. It's not ethical to cheat on someone or do things to make them envious.

                            On the other hand, you should not be with your partner if you do not trust them. DON'T allow your spouse use their lack of trust or previous experiences to manipulate you, question you, or make you feel like you have to go out of your way to win their trust. Your relationship's trust will naturally be strengthened through consistent affection, support, respect, and communication.

5. Support

Having a supportive spouse who you know has your back is one of the nicest aspects of being in a good relationship. In a healthy relationship, you and your partner will support each other and respect each other as equals, whether it's standing up for you when someone says something hurtful about you or always being the rock you can count on. Your companion will not use strategies to manipulate, control, or humiliate you. They will be protective of you, but not excessively so. They will urge you to spend time with friends and family, work toward own objectives, and have a life separate from your partnership.

            Supportive partners will always want the best for you and will not prevent you from accomplishing your goals. In a healthy relationship, you'll feel like yourself and won't feel obligated to alter or make significant compromises in order for the relationship to succeed.