Dating around is fun and all, but it’s when you enter into a committed relationship that things get real. While you should still keep the passion and humor alive that was there in the early stages, you also have to start approaching things from a more serious perspective if you want to make it long-term. There are only a few fundamentals of a healthy relationship, but without them being in place, you have basically no chance of sticking it out in the months and years to come. How many of these do you have?
- Teamwork. When you’re in a relationship, your partner is like your counterpart; your teammate. When you’re both faced with a struggle, you need to be able to function as a team and work together to get through these difficult situations. Overcoming obstacles tests your patience with one another and brings you closer together.
- Communication. A majority of fights erupt due to miscommunication or a lack of communication, so healthy relationships must prioritize actually speaking to one another clearly, directly, and honestly. Being able to open up is a key element in problem-solving and making sure that your partner knows what is going on in your head. They can’t read your mind and vice versa. If you can’t talk about your problems, then it could lead to a lot of repressed emotions that will eventually come out at some point. Don’t leave them in the dark.
- Honesty. No one likes being deceived or lied to. You want to make sure you know the person that you are investing your time into. Honesty plays a key role in getting to know someone and this goes hand in hand with being able to trust them. Healthy relationships literally can’t exist when they’re based on lies or even half-truths. No matter how innocent your fibs might seem, they’re toxic.
- Trust. The most precious thing to acquire is a person’s trust. Similarly, it’s also the most difficult to get back once you do something to lose it. Trust is a delicate thing – it can make or break a relationship. Once trust goes out the window, it could lead to a series of fear and anxiety about the other person lying or being unfaithful. Make sure that you trust one another or else your relationship cannot grow.
- Understanding. Every relationship is unique. The chemistry between two people is never the same as another couple. Therefore, you should never compare your partner to another person. Trying to understand that person and why they are the way they are is a long and difficult process. But try to see things through their eyes and maybe you’ll have a better sense of understanding their actions and reactions to situations.
- Respect. Even if you don’t agree with your partner’s views on a certain topic, that doesn’t mean you should make them feel bad about it. You don’t have to see eye to eye on everything, but you do have to respect their opinions and feelings. After all, they’re still a unique person with their own mind. You would hate if someone tried to take your thoughts, feelings, and even your autonomy away from you, so don’t do it to anyone else.
- Love. Above all, you need love in your relationship in order for it to go the distance. Love is the driving force that holds two people together. Even if you’re able to check the other items off your list, it is important that the love is still there. Don’t forget why you fell for that person in the first place.