Having a relationship can be really joyful, but it can be hard too. The fact about having a relationship is that they are difficult to maintain, and it takes a lot of effort to build a relationship that will endure a lifetime. But, all the hard work that it takes to build a healthy and growing relationship can be really worth it. Despite all the ups and downs of being in a relationship, the wonderful satisfaction of loving and being loved in return is what motivates people to power through the hardships. Everyone deserves to be in a happy and healthy relationship, and a successful relationship is entirely possible with the proper person at their side. Relationship advice is tricky, it can be annoying and even disrespectful when it comes uninvited. However, some advice really provides you with the necessary toolkit to build a healthy, lasting, and valuable relationship. This article discusses bits of advice and essential elements that will better equip you to navigate through the peaks and valleys of nurturing a healthy relationship.
1. Respect Each Other
Mutual respect is shared by both partners in a healthy relationship. It is critical that you hold each other in high regard, believe in each other more than you believe in yourself, and trust that your partner is doing the best they can with what they have. Listening to your partner and attempting to comprehend their point of view is a valuable approach to demonstrate respect in your relationship. Listening means actually be there and hear them, not just waiting for your turn to talk. Try not to persuade them to change their minds about topics that mean a lot to them. Recognize that they have different interests, hobbies, and points of view. It does not imply which is better just because you would spend your time and energy differently.
You must respect yourself in addition to respecting your partner. Because if you do not have that self-respect, you will not feel deserving of your partner’s respect or even accept it, and you will find ways to undermine it. You will begin to question each other’s motives if you do not have that foundation of respect. You will pass judgment on your partner’s choices and limit their independence. You will feel the urge to keep things hidden from one another for fear of being judged.
Another important aspect of establishing respect in a relationship is to respect your partner’s boundaries and privacy. Remember that setting personal boundaries in any relationship should not make you feel worried or afraid. We all have personal boundaries when it comes to what makes us feel good, secure, safe, and so on. In a healthy relationship, you should feel completely at ease communicating those limits and knowing that they will be respected. It also includes being sensitive to your partner’s feelings and refraining from doing anything that could upset them. Your partner’s boundaries should not be pushed, you need to recognize that they are a completely independent individual from yourself. Allow your partner space, appreciate them, and show respect by considering their wishes, values, and thoughts. Respect that they have a say in the relationship on equal terms. A healthy relationship does not require knowing each other’s passcodes; rather, healthy relationships need some space and boundaries.
2. Have Realistic Expectations
Some people enter a relationship to compensate for something they lack or dislike about themselves. This is something that leads to a toxic relationship because it suggests that the love you had was conditional. You only love your partner just as long as they help you feel better about yourself, or you will only make them happy if they make you happy. Therefore, it is crucial to have realistic expectations when it comes to romantic relationships. Love and relationships are often romanticized, it can make you blind sighted. Many people in a relationship are stuck in a blind romantic trap. They are only in it for the fleeting euphoria, instead of genuinely seeing their partner as another human being they genuinely respect and enjoy being with. Expecting true love in a healthy relationship means being aware of the long-term commitment to someone who you know is not always going to make you happy. It involves deep and abiding love that is unaffected by emotional impulses, an unwavering commitment to a person regardless of current circumstances.
Having a realistic expectation also involves not constantly telling your significant other what they should have done. Complaining about what they should have done implies a sense of injustice as if things should be different than it is. Instead of blaming each other for what they should have done, it is better to express and communicate your expectations beforehand.
3. Little Things Can Be Significant
True love is found not only in big gestures but also love in the smallest of details. People are often stuck in a rut and do not see each other for who they are in the present, especially in a relationship that has been going on for a while. Unknowingly, we can be seeing our partner as a projection of a memory of them, leading us to make assumptions. Little gestures can go a long way, take a moment to pause and look at your significant other with fresh eyes. Constantly tell them how much you love them, and most importantly show it. Make them feel like you are really there for them, that you actually see them in the present. No matter how well someone knows you, they will never know what is going on inside your thoughts at all times. So, communicate little things and not just assume or expect that they already know how you feel. Other little things you can do includes the kind of intimacy that results from physical contact, sincere eye contact, genuine smiles, and so forth. They might be little gestures, but that doing it regularly can mean a lot to your significant other. If you see that those little intimacies are reducing, it may be time to take a step back and ask yourself why this is the case.