Feb 21, 2023
Between what we see on media, our past expereinces, and the unsolicitied opinion of friends and family, knowing what a healthy relationship looks like can be confusing! Is alone time good or bad? How much conversation is too much conversation? Is arguing a sign of health or disaster?
At the end of the day, a healthy relationship is one that works for you. Some people are perfectly happy with long-distance relationships, while others think that a full weekend a part is too much. Some people have passionate discussions that lead to arguments, while others can't stand the thought of conflict.
We aren't here to tell you what works for you. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, and there is no one way to love. However, there are some signs that your relationship is headed in a healthy direction, and some things that every couple can do to ensure long-lasting love.
How to Have a Healthy Relationship
While everyone's idea of a healthy relationship may vary, the goal remains consistent: to create and nurture something meaningful with another person. We all have our times of error or remorse in relationships; however, we should work toward creating solid connections.
Ultimately it comes down to understanding what we need as individuals and then striving together as a couple for those needs while considering each other's wellbeing. The goal of a relationship is not to diminish one another, but help each other grow into your healthiest, most authentic selves.
Still, cultivating a healthy relationship is difficult. When the demands and challenges weigh on your relationship, how do you keep a healthy relationship? Here are our 7 tips to cultivate a healthy relationship:
1. Have Open Conversations
No relationship can thrive without healthy communication. It's essential for couples to feel like they can share their thoughts and feelings freely. Yet, at times it may be necessary to restrain from expressing specific ideas due to differences in opinion, resulting in emotional distance. To prevent this issue, cultivate an open dialogue between you and your partner. Communication is a strong key to healthy relationships hence, the more honest conversation that happens today will build a better tomorrow!
Mutual respect means an atmosphere conducive to open dialogue, where both partners can feel comfortable sharing their feelings without judgment or intimidation. Marriage counseling or couples therapy can also help you give you the space where you and your partner can have open heart to heart conversations. Ask questions that will lead you both to understand one another's perspectives and emotions, but remember, everyone has different boundaries when discussing such delicate topics - so be respectful of them! Take the time to foster meaningful conversations with your partner.
2. Understand Non-Verbal Cues
Did you know that 55% of communication is nonverbal and 38% is vocal? That leaves just 7% of communication is the actual words being said. Deciphering the nonverbal clues behind someone's words are the few important things in a relationship to being a successful communicator. When looking for nonverbal cues, focus on:
- Tone
- Eye contact
- Posture
- Touch or lack of touch
- Sound of voice
- Hand gestures
- Facial expressions
- Attention
- Reactions to your words
Knowing another person so well that their thoughts become like your own is fantastic and can be a possible key to a perfect relationship, but it's human nature to make mistakes or miss subtle cues. To ensure a strong connection with our partners, both parties should work towards better understanding one another and be patient throughout the process.
3. Make Time for Each Other
Everyone will have different ways of showing and receiving love, and not everyone will need a lot of quality time. But even then, it's important to have face-to-face time together. This is more than just watching TV together at the end of the night (although that can be fun, too). This is about having new experiences, learning, trying new things, and experiencing life together.
Not spending enough time together can lead some people to feel unloved. It's important to know how your partner feels loved and meet their needs.
4. Set Healthy Boundaries
Setting healthy boundaries in a relationship is crucial for maintaining your well-being and fostering a strong, respectful connection. Start by identifying your own needs and limits, and communicate them openly and assertively. It's important to express your boundaries clearly and kindly, without guilt or fear of conflict. Respect your partner's boundaries as well, and be mindful of their feelings and needs. Regular and honest communication is key, so check in with each other about boundaries and revisit them as needed. Remember, setting boundaries isn't about controlling your partner or being distant—it's about creating a safe space where both of you can thrive individually and together. In a healthy relationship, boundaries are a means of self-care and a way to build trust and respect with your partner.
5. Learn Good Conflict Resolution
Relationships can be tricky, and disagreements are part of life. Healthy couples don't always agree, but they know how to work through it amicably - a key component to a healthy relationship or a vital indicator to long-term success! By creating space for open communication free from judgment or guilt-tripping, partners can bridge divides peacefully while learning more about each other's perspectives. It's important to learn how to apologize, problem solve, and move on respectfully from disagreements.
6. Know it Won't Always be 50/50
There's this idea that relationships should always be 50/50, meaning the work will always be evenly divided and no one will be giving more or less. While this will sometimes be true, it's important to realize that sometimes you might be giving more and sometimes you might need more. When your partner has had an exceptionally bad day, you might make dinner or do something nice for them, without expecting anything in return. Or, if you're having an overly emotional day, you might not have the bandwidth to clean, so your partner does it for you.
If you are only ever giving in a relationship, that's a problem. Relationships can be a challege, and knowing when to walk away from a toxic relationship is important. But it's okay if there is a natural give and take. You are partners in life, and that means stepping up when the other person lags.
7. Be Authentic
If you haven't been feeling loved or connected recenlty, ask yourself: Are you acting authentically? If we are pretnedign to be someone we aren't, either in our actions, words, or how we look, we likely will feel burntout and unloved. "They just don't get me," you might be saying. But have you been showing them the real you?
It can be stressful to open up and be authentic with your partner. We are taught to hide the messy parts of ourselves, but those are exactly the parts your partner should see. So open up and be authentic! If you have a hard time doing this, talk to your partner about steps you can take together to make it a more comfortable experience.
Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship
Signs your relationship is unhealthy include:
- Controlling behavior
- Extreme jelousness
- Lack of communication
- "Walking on eggshells" feeling
- Name calling
- Emotional manipulation
- Invading each other's privacy
- Consistent fights
If warning bells start ringing, seek relationship counseling to help you resolve your concerns or open up a meaningful dialogue between you and your partner. With the help of a relationship therapists, you will get a broader look into the situation and can mold the future of your relationship accordingly and work on the things that are important in a relationship.
Remember, mental health and relationships happiness should always come first when assessing the health of any relationship.
How Relationships Counseling Helps in building and maintaining a healthy relationship?
Relationships counseling or relationships therapy can be a great way to help maintain a healthy connection with your partner. It allows you to explore issues in a safe and supportive environment and work on resolving them together. Through this kind of relationship counseling, couples can gain insight into each other's thoughts and feelings, understand how past experiences shape present behaviors and develop better communication skills.
Counseling or relationships therapy can also help couples work through difficult times, such as infidelity, financial struggles, infertility, or parenting challenges. These issues can be a significant part of your relationship. But with the right relationship therapists to guide you, every big problem can be resolved. So find the right marriage counselor who can help you in real time.
You see, most relationships fall because they do not find a space to talk to each other openly and do not need to fear being judged for their thoughts. Relationships therapy gives you just that. It allows both partners to express their feelings and needs in a non-judgmental setting. The relationship counselor can help them identify the underlying causes of any conflicts and create strategies to address them.
Therapy can also help people explore different aspects of their relationship and develop a deeper connection. Through relationships counseling, couples can learn to recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses, set realistic goals for the future of their relationships and mental health, and create an agreement on how they will handle conflicts.
Take The First Step Towards Building a Healthy Relationship with Lifebulb
Honesty, respect, good communication, trust, and support from both partners are essential and are said to be the keys to relationship building. If any of these ingredients are missing from your relationship, it can strain the partnership. Remember, it takes two people to maintain a healthy relationship. Relationships therapy or relationships counseling can be highly beneficial if you and your partner have difficulty maintaining a happy and healthy relationship.
Lifebulb's team of experienced relationship therapists offers online and offline services that can help build and maintain a healthy relationship. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you're struggling - a more beneficial relationship is just around the corner!
