How To Tell If Your Relationship Is Healthy

Ideally, a healthy relationship is one that lets both of you feel connected to each other and still feel independent. It is a relationship that makes both of you feel generally well. You see, the relationship that you have with your spouse contributes greatly to your emotional, mental, and general wellbeing.

In addition, a healthy relationship is packed with a lot of other benefits. When you are comfortable and happy, you are able to respond positively to life stresses. You are able to adopt healthier behaviors, leading to a longer life. Above all, you feel a greater sense of purpose in life nurturing a relationship.

The question, however, remains what makes a healthy relationship. The following are ways that you can tell if your relationship is healthy.

 

1.      Honest communication

Communication is very critical for a relationship to thrive. You will know that your relationship is healthy if you can freely express yourself without the fear of being intimidated or ridiculed. Communication is two ways in that you listen to each other and everyone feels heard.

It is also crucial that you keep in touch with one another when you are apart. This is where online communication comes into play. When using the internet for this reason, make sure that you have Residential Proxies for getting a fast and safe experience while checking different websites. 

 

2.      Fair fights

Fights are inevitable in any relationship. In fact, you should be very careful in a relationship that has no fights. That could mean that one of you is not genuine, or is holding back something. People in a healthy relationship fight, but they fight fairly without insulting or humiliating the other person. They fight for their relationship, but not each other.

 

3.      There is independence

The fact that you are together doesn’t mean that you will have the same interests, pursue the same dreams, keep the same friends, and literally do everything together. You each had your own dreams before coming together. A healthy relationship will provide a conducive environment for each person to pursue his or her interests, and personal growth. You should in fact be supporting each other’s dreams as the biggest cheerleader. When you grow individually, you become stronger together.

4.      You appreciate each other

Relationships thrive when you appreciate each other. You are different individuals and each of you contributes a share in the happiness and joy that you savor in. If you are in a healthy relationship, you and your partner will be always eager to appreciate each other. You will not need a reason to celebrate the other person. Gift-giving comes naturally to you.

Pro tip: If you want to appreciate your partner, you can never go wrong with music. If your partner is a music lover, download free music-making software and send them tunes that you created yourself. You will be giving your partner something to remember you by even when you are apart from each other.

 

5.      There is trust

The truth of the matter is that you can’t be able to follow your partner whenever he or she goes around the clock. You will have to trust the other person if you are to set each other free. That means staying away from snooping into each other’s phones or tracking their whereabouts. You will also not keep any secrets from each other. If trust is present in the relationship, then that is a healthy one.

 

6.      You don’t tell bad things about each other to other people

Most people run to other people when their relationship faces a problem. While your partner would be the last person you want to see when you are mad, venting out to other people only shows that your relationship is unhealthy. In a healthy relationship, talking ill about your partner to other people would be the last thing on your mind. You will seek to fix the problem with your partner first before reaching out to a third party.

 

7.      Your relationship is a safety net

Life happens and a day has a lot to deal with. At the end of the day, you want to go home to a quiet place where you will find the peace and rest that you so much need. If your relationship is a safe haven that you want to run to when things get tough, it is definitely healthy.

 

8.      You find balance

A relationship demands so much especially when you are living together. There are the chores and paying bills and childcare among other things. Most couples fail to find a balance, and one partner will often feel overwhelmed. When you are in a healthy relationship, finding a balance is not a difficult thing. You are able to play fair with your spouse in this aspect. And in the end, having holidays together will reward all your hard work on keeping the balance up.  

 

Conclusion

Technically, a healthy relationship boils down to good communication and healthy boundaries. In other words, you communicate openly, honestly, respectfully, and without criticism. In addition, you respect each other’s personal life as well as trust each other.

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About The Author

Freya is a Math teacher, Yoga enthusiast, and a beloved mother of three lovely daughters. She is always looking for ways to grow and help others around her thrive through self-learning, meditation, and physical fitness. When she is not teaching or spending time with her family, Freya regularly writes on topics related to self-improvement and women empowerment.

                     

Dating A Girl With Anxiety Can Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You – Here’s How To Do It

Having anxiety is not an easy battle. Some days, you feel on top of the world, enjoying life, like nothing can bring you down. Other days, you wake up feeling trapped in your own body – crawling out of your own skin as though you’re a prisoner who cannot escape. Anxiety is a real illness, no matter how many people deny its existence and as someone who suffers with it on a regular basis, it is harshly real.

 

Just because you have an illness that is not physical—unable to be seen on your body by the naked eye – does not mean it is invalid or nonexistent. With the numerous stigmas against mental illness within society, it makes it even harder for people who struggle with anxiety to speak out and get themselves the proper help needed to aid in their battles.

 

This, of course, makes everyday situations in life increasingly difficult. For example: relationships.

 

While dating is hard enough on it’s own for someone of pristine health – it’s even harder when you’re someone who suffers from anxiety and panic disorders. But, if you give the girl with anxiety a chance – looking past the stress, the worries, the overthinking – it can be one of the best relationships you’ll ever have in your life.

 

Girls with anxiety are not people who are sick – girls with anxiety are warriors.

 

We wake up every day knowing that—there’s a chance my anxiety will be bad today or, there’s a chance my anxiety will be good today—but, we never truly know. Does that stop us?

 

Why You Owe It To Yourself To Create Magic In Your Life

You drag through life tired and uninspired, relentlessly searching for that intangible something that will transform you forever. You seek a spark that ignites into a powerful flame and adventure of a lifetime. You wait for an eternity to discover your bliss, praying for the moment life will change you.

But you owe it to yourself to create magic in your life, to kindle your own flame, to embark on the life-altering journey you seek. You hold immense power over your carefree smile, your undying laugh, the inextinguishable brightness in your eyes.

Create your own magic because you deserve to smile again. You deserve to rediscover the simple joys that blossom every day – the sun’s stunning movement across the sky, the eternal bliss of the wind rustling your hair, the carefree joy of dancing through the streets as if nobody’s watching. You deserve to feel your lips widen in excitement as you embrace life’s simple pleasures, the mystical whimsy of knowing all that awaits you on Earth.

Create your own magic because it will make you feel alive. As your own spell transfixes you, hypnotizing you in the wake of its beauty, you will rediscover what it truly means to live. You will feel your heartbeat out of your chest in eager anticipation, the thrill that reminds you that even as you suffocate under the weight of life’s dreary monotony, you are a living, breathing entity, a monolith of soul and story intertwined.

Create your own magic because life won’t change itself. As you feel the world dim around you, gripping your soul with its dark sorcery, binding you to its unrelenting will, your spellbinding strength will free you, leaving you awash in a mystical twilight haze. In the wake of your spellbinding spark, you will rediscover life’s simple pleasures: whistling as you work, stopping to smell each fragrant rose, laughing with friends as if no time has passed, immersing yourself in childlike wonder.

You owe it to yourself to create magic in your life, to refresh your soul and rejuvenate your spirit, even as life’s dark forces threaten to pull you away from the joy you long to experience. You deserve to light your spark into a flame, to summon your immense power and conjure an aura of adventure out of thin air.

This article originally appeared on Thought Catalog.

I Can Feel It in My Bones, That’s How I Know It’ll Always Be You

You. It’s such a complex and meaningful word. And to each individual person it can mean multitudes of things. It varies from person to person and experience to experience.

But when I think of the word you, I am overwhelmed with so much love.

Not long ago I was thoroughly convinced that love was an absolute joke and I had wasted all of my time. I was certain that happiness and contentment were so far out of my reach. And so I settled for the mundane. And then you became a part of my vocabulary.

 

At first, it was so subtle. I had no idea that you were going to change everything. I wasn’t looking for you at all, but you found me anyway.

The coincidences were too great, and so I began to believe that this was somehow fated to be.

As I poured out my soul to you, I realized it was the first time I hadn’t been scared of the truth. Looking into your eyes, I was able to own up to every mistake and stupid decision I made.

But after finding you, I’m not so sure they were mistakes. Every decision I made, no matter how big or small it seemed, lead me to this exact place. And I wholeheartedly believe that I was supposed to find you.

I had spent so many years chasing things that were not meant for me, and only now can I understand why every single one of them fell apart.

My heart is damaged, and a small part of me will always be broken. But you know that, and you choose me anyway.

You look at me as if I am a constellation, and you’ve never seen stars. And though it terrifies me, it also makes me feel whole again.

You value me, even when I don’t value myself. You tell me the honest truth, even when I don’t want to hear it. And you are constant, in an ever changing world.

You are so much more than what I could have dreamed up. I have struggled so long with finding somewhere to call home and finding somewhere that I belong. I realize now that it’s not a place. It’s you.

This unspoken peace crashes over me every time I look at you, and I know that no matter where I am, I will be coming home to you for the rest of my life.

You are the greatest blessing I have ever received, and I’ve never been so grateful for anything in my whole life.

 

To The Boy I Found When I Wasn’t Even Looking

There I was, telling myself I was ready to be on my own for a while. I was tired of being hurt and putting all of my effort into relationships just to get nothing in return. I was ready to be single, to focus on myself and stand alone for the first time in a long time. Then you happened. 

All it took was one message. A simple hello and a few late night conversations and I was hooked. I could tell you were different from the start. You were nothing like the guys I usually fell for. I was not exactly sure what it was about you that had me so intrigued. All I knew is once you said hello, I never wanted to hear you say good-bye. It was strange because I went back in forth in my mind with whether or not I should message you back. This was not because I was afraid to let you in or that I feared being hurt. It was the exact opposite actually. I was afraid I would hurt you or that I did not deserve the happiness I could tell you would bring me. However, looking back now, I am so glad I sent that message and let you in. 

I remember our first date. I sat there waiting for you to pick me up questioning whether it even was a date. You never referred to it as one, in fact, you never even hinted at whether or not you liked me or had any interest in me other than as friends. That is what intrigued me the most. You were shy but at the same time, you were open and let me in. You never once hid who you truly were with me; you were your complete self from the start. You wanted to know about me, about my past, my family, my dreams, my goals in life, everything. No one had ever shown that much interest in me before. We spent most of that night talking and getting to know one another and it just felt so easy to talk to you. I never was one to open up easily, but with you, it was easy. We went to a movie that night, and I remember sitting next to you casually moving my arm closer to yours hoping you would grab my hand or give me some sort of hint at what you were thinking, considering I was still pretty confused on the whole, is this a date question. You must not have caught on to my subtle hints though, cause you dropped me off the same way you picked me up, confused.

I went into my house and analyzed that entire night trying to see if you dropped any hints that you liked me, but if you did, I could not find them. All I knew for sure was that you were different, but a good different. A different that I liked a lot and wanted to hold onto and have in my life. It was not until the next day that you casually brought up that it was our first date in a conversation that I knew what that night was. Our conversations became more frequent and more in depth until I found myself hoping it was you every time my phone lit up. I was hooked on your gorgeous blue eyes and your smile that invited me in. I wanted to know more about you, I wanted to know everything.

As the weeks went by it was clear as day that we both wanted this. I found myself falling for you a little more every day. I liked everything about you. The way you sang in the car (even though you are totally tone deaf) and got excited when you found songs we both liked. The way you would get shocked when I said I had not seen just about every movie ever made, and you insisted that we had to watch them all. The way you told your friends and family about me, and how you just seemed so excited to let everyone know about me. The way you remembered small details about me like my birthday, my love for hockey, my hobbies and the foods I actually eat (because yes, I am probably the world’s pickiest eater so remembering that can be a hard task to do). You found ways to make me smile even when I was having a bad day. I felt safe in your arms from the moment you held me tighter when I informed you about my fear of storms. Something just felt right when I was with you. Nothing has ever felt so right or easy like this before. 

You make me truly happy. I will forever find myself questioning how I got so lucky or what I did to deserve meeting someone as great as you. Someone who makes me feel beautiful and wanted every day. Someone who is handsome and sexy even when using the most embarrassing Snapchat filters. Someone who is funny and can make me laugh at any time. Someone who is sweet and caring. Someone who knows what it is like to be damaged and to have been hurt in the past just like myself, but does not let that stop them from finding happiness. I know they say that no one is perfect, but I honestly feel that you are. Or at least you are perfect for me

The future is so unclear and you never know what it may hold. However, standing here today, I hope it holds you. I hope you are the one standing next to me on the good days when I need someone to celebrate with. Like when I graduate from college, or I am offered my first job, or I place in the top ten at a tournament, or I move into my first apartment. Nevertheless, I also hope it is you standing next to me when things get hard and I need a shoulder to cry on. Like when I don’t get the job I thought I nailed the interview for, or things at home aren’t the best, or when I am sad that it is time to let go of my collegiate athlete days, or on the days where my health problems get the best of me. No matter what the future holds, I hope it holds you. I hope you are the one standing next to me through it all. Even though you have not been in my life for very long and the future scares the hell out of me I am not afraid to admit that I hope it is you

Looking back now, replying to your message was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I am glad I put my fear aside and allowed myself the chance to meet someone as wonderful as you. You are the guy that most girls dream of finding and somehow I was lucky enough to stumble upon you. You treat me in a way I thought I would never be worthy of and I will forever be grateful for that. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for us. No matter what it may be, I will never regret sending that message and having you walk into my life when you did. I can only hope for many years and happiness to come with you by my side.

My Mind Knows I Should Leave but My Heart Won’t Give Him Up

I’m finally at the point where I can confidently fake a pleasant, positive response when people ask how I’m doing. Some see the sadness hidden in my eyes and give me a knowing look, but most just move on.

Those people don’t know the pain you caused me. The ones that do despise you. They see how you’ve shattered me and recognize that I’ll never be the girl I was before I let you into my heart.

They held me as my body quivered when I had no tears left and heard my weakened whispers admitting how alone and defeated I was. They saw my body shrink as I struggled to move past everything.

They don’t understand why I still choose to let you in my life. Sometimes even I don’t know why I let you stay after you broke me the way you did.

It’s curious how a problem can be its own solution. On my roughest days, you’re still the only one who can calm me down and talk some sense into my stubborn head. 

I know you care about me. You’ve taken responsibility for your actions and I know that means a lot, but part of me will never understand how you treated me so horribly.

On the days where I find the tears streaming down my face, I have no problem angrily telling you how shitty of a person you are. While I do feel that way about you, I also still care for you. I still love you.

It’s been a long time since we sat in the same room and talked but late night text conversations still happen. 

You say it’s best that we keep our distance while things are fresh because you’re scared being close will bring too many feelings back for me.

Part of me knows that you’re just as scared that you’ll find yourself overwhelmed.

I know I’ll never be able to fully detach if I let you stick around in my life and heart, but maybe I don’t really want to quit what we’ve started.

Maybe this is just our pause, not a full stop.

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