Basic Characteristics of Healthy Relationships

If a relationship is not based on certain basic understandings, it is unhealthy and will not only not fulfill your need for love, but can also harm your emotional health and undermine your future.

Here are signs that a relationship is healthy.

You Should be Comfortable

First, there should be an absolute boundary against any sort of violence. Within that boundary, the basics of healthy relationships include respect, trust, honesty, and responsibility.

You should always feel safe communicating honest feelings with the other person. You should feel deep in your heart that you can trust them not to react to your openness in a way that frightens or harms you in any way.

You won't Always see Eye to Eye

Another important characteristic of a healthy relationship is that both partners accept that there are differences between them that will always be there.

These differences include variations in beliefs, habits and outlook. If these differences are not accepted with a sense of respect for the other person as they are, then there are likely to be recurring arguments over these very issues.

In other words, it is essential that each person respects the other person enough to let them have their own opinions. Of course, any time those "opinions" include violent or abusive actions, they are no longer acceptable in a healthy relationship. Remember, you're not going to agree on things all the time.

Try to Compromise

In short, one of the most valuable characteristics of healthy relationships is the ability to compromise. Most couples have one person who likes time alone more than the other.

In the same way, most couples have one person who likes to save money more than the other one does. And the list of common differences goes on.

The only way for a relationship to stay healthy in the face of these differences is for the two to agree upon acceptable compromises.

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