8 Ways to Have a Healthy Relationship

You are in love, you can also say that you have met your soul mate because of how happy you are when you are with them, or when their thoughts cross your mind. But, how do you know that your relationship is healthy when you put aside the fuzzy and happy feelings you have when you are with them?

This article will be telling you the ways, and steps you can have a healthy relationship with your partner.

1. Practice self-love

Many people neglect self-love to the extent that they cannot tell when they are in a healthy relationship or not. When you can’t treat yourself right, love yourself, live a positive life, you cannot attract a person who will love and treat you right.

The first step in ensuring that your relationship is healthy is by loving yourself, this makes it easy for you to spot the unhealthy traits in your relationship like criticism, abuse, neglect, etc., and quickly correct them or work away if need be.

When you don’t love yourself, it is difficult to see when you are being treated wrongly. So, learn to love yourself so that you will be loved rightly.

2. Maintain standards

I see many people entering into relationships without having any ground rules or standards to guide them and their partner in the relationship. I am not saying you should have a ridiculously high standard, but certain standards must be set, and not bent no matter what.

How will you both treat each other? How will conflicts be resolved? What are the expectations of the relationship? How will you grow individually and as a couple? 

These are some of the things that should be taken care of in a relationship to ensure that you have a healthy relationship.

3. Know what your partner needs

Being in a relationship involves thinking about and doing things for another person. You must be able to treat your partner right because you also expect to be treated rightly. A selfish person cannot make a relationship work.

A healthy relationship involves giving and receiving. You can’t just expect to receive without giving. What makes your partner happy? How do they want to be treated? How can you contribute to making their goals become a reality? In what ways should you make them feel loved?

Answer these questions with your partner, and you both should try and actively listen to what the other is saying, and work towards meeting each other’s needs.

4. Communicate well

A healthy relationship requires effective communication from both parties. Many people bottle up how they feel when their partner hurts them, and it only leads to a buildup of resentment and anger towards each other. You are a team to your partner, so communicate well.

Communication also involves listening attentively. Most times, we talk but we fail to listen to what our partner is saying. Which areas have they complained about? What changes do they want to see? How will you change?

Don’t just hear your partner, but listen to what they say and implement where necessary so that the relationship will be healthy. Know that you both are continually evolving, so you both should grow together so that the relationship will last long.

5. Appreciate each other

It is always worth repeating that no two individuals are the same including twins. We have different interests, goals, visions, how we react to things, among others. A relationship will be boring if we are the same or acted the same way.

Acknowledge the differences between you and your partner. Don’t try to act as though these differences aren’t there. Remember what attracted you to your partner in the first place and ensure that it stays alive.

Appreciate your partner for what they do for you, how they love you, their differences. This is part of what a healthy relationship should look like.

6. Have trust

One of the major reasons why relationships break up is because of lack of trust, or the trust has been broken, and it is hard for the trust to be put back in place.

To have a healthy relationship, trust must be there. Can your partner be sure of where you are? Can they easily believe and trust what you tell them? Are they sure that you won’t leave them and you will be with them?

I keep telling people in relationships that you cannot say you love someone and then you can’t trust them. When trust is lacking, you will question their every move, think that what they are telling you is a lie, and doubt what you both share,

You must build or rebuild the trust in your relationship if it has been previously broken for your relationship to be healthy.

Also, learn how to be honest with your partner. When your partner sees that you are honest with them it is easier for them to believe you and trust you. You can’t constantly lie to your partner and expect that the trust they had for you will not be tampered with.

7. Learn intimacy

Intimacy is not just about hugs or kisses. Intimacy could be just cuddling and watching movies with your partner. It involves taking your partner to that new restaurant they have wanted to try out. It is making their favorite food without them requesting. It is remembering the little things they tell you about.

It is important as a couple that you redefine what intimacy is with your partner. Know what makes them happy, and do that for them to have a healthy relationship.

8. Grow with your partner

Many couples see the disagreement and resolution they have with their partner as a way to grow with them. Disagreements often make it easy to know what your partner’s values are and how they react to things.

 Your values and goals should align with that of your partner. Where do you see yourself individually and as a couple in a few years? What are the values you hold dear to your heart? How can you be at the same pace as your partner? Little things like these ensure a healthy relationship with your partner.

Conclusion

The importance of having a healthy relationship can not be overemphasized. So,  hope you practice these suggestions given.