People talk so much about love that sometimes it is hard to distinguish between it and many other similar feelings, and there are times when partners really love each other, but their relationship is neither healthy nor happy.
So how can you distinguish between true love and a partnership that contributes to your life and similar emotions or relationships that just drain instead of invigorate you? To help you do this, we’ve collected some signs and characteristics of a healthy relationship - if your relationship is happy, you will probably read the article with a smile that will confirm what you already knew: that you have found a wonderful love.
It is amazing and exciting to think how much someone who loves you will want to protect you, sometimes more than you protect yourself. A loving partner will hear what you have to say, be happy when something makes you happy and encourage you to stick up for yourself in the face of adversity. They won’t always see things the same way as you do, but they will almost always try to advise and seek your best. Such a situation, in which there is mutual support and a desire to protect and help the other side, is a sign that the relationship is flourishing and full of love.
What does your love look like? Is it butterflies in your stomach before you go out with your partner? Does your love include a deep and genuine affection for your spouse's character? The first question examines falling in love, and the second question examines being in love.
If you answered yes only to the first question, you are probably only at the beginning of the relationship, and you haven’t really had the chance to get to know each other just yet, or maybe it’s just a relationship that’s great for the short term, but won’t really pass the test of time. On the other hand, if you answered yes to both questions, you are truly lucky, and your connection is very powerful and wonderful. In such a relationship it’s obvious that if a romantic relationship wasn’t possible, the two of you would still be friends.
Of course, big gestures of love, such as planning a surprise trip or buying a new piece of jewelry, are exciting, but it is the small everyday gestures, such as offering a cup of tea or buying a food item that your partner loves. These gestures actually say, "Look, I've been thinking about you," so if you're still trying to give your spouse as many small gifts and doing as many small gestures as possible, it shows the special love you feel for them. If you are on the receiving and of this pampering it is very important that you show your partner that you appreciate it and remember to express your love in a similar way.
In general, you should listen to your feelings because they often lead you to the right path. The reason why they help you understand events is that emotions rely on the subconscious and on unseen messages, not just on your active thoughts, which do not always show a true and complete picture. To understand if your relationship is happy with emotion, just ask yourself: have you felt happier since the beginning of this relationship? Does the presence of your partner make you happy? If the answer to these questions is positive, it is a clear sign that your spouse is empowering you, and you are in a healthy relationship.
A sentence like "I have to convince him/her" ignores your partner's needs and wants and imposes your own needs and wants on them, therefore it is a sentence rarely if ever spoken in situations where each partner has respect for the other. On the other hand, in a healthy relationship, if a partner wants to give in to you, they’ll do so wholeheartedly, not because you demanded it from them. One of the main characteristics of a happy relationship is giving and wanting to give as much as possible, so if there is something that is important to you, many times your partners will happily let you have it, sometimes even without you asking, solely because they know that it is important to you.
The words "I love you" are pleasant to the ear and warm the heart, and who doesn’t want to feel wanted and loved? Good words and compliments are an important component of a relationship because they strengthen the relationship and empower the couple. However, since good words are such a powerful tool, it is important to distinguish between sincere words and those whose sole purpose is to preserve the relationship.
To distinguish between words that are spoken sincerely and those that are not, one has to look at the spouse's actions. Ask yourself: would my partner invest effort or resources to express their love? Would they be there when you need them? If you answered these questions in the affirmative - it is a sign that your relationship is healthy and happy...
If you stop wanting your partner's reaction to what you say or do, it may be a sign that your relationship is beginning to dissipate. You are actually letting the relationship weaken and with time it may disappear completely due to your lack of interest. Conversely, if you think about your spouse and want to impress them with the things you do and say – this is a sign that the fire hasn’t gone out, and you still want that person in your life. Attempting to impress your spouse means that you care what their response will be, and their opinion matters to us, therefore this is a sign that your relationship is headed in the right direction.
If you are part of a strong and stable relationship, you probably won’t think that your spouse’s bad mood is your fault, because you know they usually feel positive feelings towards you, and if they get angry at you, they'll let you know. You're too important to them, so they'll never get mad at you for some unknown reason without trying to talk and solve the problem. This situation, where you are not afraid of your partner’s negative moods, indicates that you feel safe in your relationship and that your relationship is generally positive. This confidence indicates that you have trust and that is a feeling that strengthens the relationship more than anything else.
A situation in which your conversations are neither interesting nor exciting, meaning empty conversation, indicates the degeneration of the relationship between you and your partner. On the other hand, in a happy relationship, there is much to talk about beyond how their day was, the weather or other similar issues. In a healthy relationship, you are not afraid of a situation in which there is nothing to say, and therefore, don’t rush to fill the void with meaningless words.
You have common interests and your conversations reach depths and fascinating areas - you try to discover things you did not know about your spouse and want to tell them about things you think will interest them. At the same time, it may be easy for you to spend time together without having to talk - instead, you both simply enjoy being in each other’s presence. These two situations are definitely a sign that your relationship is long lasting a full of happiness.
