There is no secret that we all want to get our own happily ever after. We dream of the perfect wedding, the perfect proposal, and the perfect partner. Someone to walk down the aisle with, go to sleep next to every night, and someone to share all of your hopes, dreams, and fears.
However, in the quest for love, we may find ourselves at a crossroads of what we want our relationship to be and what it actually is. Every couple has their challenges so how do you know if your problems are normal? I’m certainly not an expert, but I’m nosey as hell and I’ve observed a pattern of what works well in relationships and what can be a red flag.
So how can you tell if you are in a healthy relationship?
WAYS TO TELL IF YOU’RE IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
IT’S EASY
No one is promising that it will be easy all the time, but being in a relationship shouldn’t feel like a chore. You should look forward to spending time together and go out of your way to make that happen. If you find yourself ignoring calls & messages, making plans without your partner or feeling relieved when things get canceled- it’s probably a flag that something isn’t right here.
On a related note: it’s totally okay to answer the phone and say “hey I’m watching TV, folding laundry, or just having ME time. Catch ya later!”
Related: Apply This One Rule To Your Relationship Immediately
YOU TRUST EACH OTHER
Fidelity aside, there are so many other situations where you need to feel like you trust your partner. Although if you don’t trust them to not cheat on you- get out… NOW.
You should trust that your partner will put you first. If you are in a new relationship, long term couple, headed to the altar, or even married for a while there are so many times in life where people will challenge each of you either individually or as a pair. You have to feel confident that you and your partner will put each other first and get through things as a team.
YOU STILL GET GIDDY
One common problem in long term relationships is that you find yourself a victim of sheer boredom. I used to think that this was normal but I can say confidently that after 13 years with Sahir– this isn’t the case. You can feel bored with your work, your routine, or your responsibilities but your partner should continue to challenge, excite, and entertain you. That doesn’t mean that you won’t be bored at all though. I think the 80/20 rule is a good practice here.
YOU ENTERTAIN EACH OTHER’S INTERESTS
Before we met, Sahir wouldn’t have been caught dead at a musical and I would have sold my firstborn before being dragged to a wrestling match. But after some doe-eyed convincing and multiple chocolate chip cookies, we have been able to experience so many amazing things together. Currently, we are on a crazy waitlist for Hamilton tickets and are attended a Lucha Libre wrestling match when we were in Mexico City. Even if it’s awful, at least we did it together (pound fists here).
Related: The One Simple Switch That Will Make Your Relationship Stronger
YOU MAKE SACRIFICES
In my circle of friends, we’ve been playing around with the question “If you and your partner were traveling on a flight and you got upgraded to first-class, would you take the seat if it meant being separated?” – I’ll let you think about it for a second. If your immediate answer is “hell yes!” then my follow up question is what if you were with your best friend- is the answer the same? If it isn’t, it might be a red flag.
Of course, there are a million ways to break this question up (I encourage you to bring it up with your friends or coworkers- the answers are hilarious). Common follow up questions include: “Domestic or International?” or “How long is the flight?” It’s great to start a conversation and make people put down their phones at dinner.
Related: What Are The 5 Love Languages? Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Them?
YOU WANT THE SAME THINGS
I’m a big fan of being transparent at the forefront with what you want to get out of a relationship. Are you looking for something casual? Are you looking to get married soon? For relationships to succeed you have to know what you are getting into and if the lines are fuzzy or one person isn’t getting what they thought they signed up for, it can cause major stress and turmoil.
It’s totally okay to date casually or even non-exclusively but make sure your partner isn’t picking out china patterns for your registry.
YOU VALUE EACH OTHER’S INPUT
I hear so often that the notion of asking for permission is what makes people hate being “tied down”. Having to ask before making a large purchase, booking a flight, or even going out with friends can cause someone to feel trapped or like they aren’t independent anymore. A mindset change can be helpful here.
Sahir and I certainly check in with each other before doing any certain things. For me, this is not because I have to, but because I feel like Sahir will be able to give helpful insight. The key is to feel supported with whatever you end up deciding, and to value the input of your partner because you want to- not because you have to.
YOU HEAR EACH OTHER
We’ve all dozed off on the phone with our partners. Well, unless you were born after 1994 which in that case- I guess you feel asleep whilst texting? When I talk about listening to each other it’s less about that and more about listening to each other to build intuition. I can honestly say Sahir knows me better than myself. He is aware of my verbal and nonverbal cues that indicate what excites me, angers me, or worries me. There is a difference between listening and actually hearing what your partner needs and these can help you know whether or not you are in a healthy relationship.
Final thoughts on knowing whether or now you are in a healthy relationship
There are so many beautiful things about being in a happy and healthy relationship. I hope this post either made you smile and pull out your phone to text bae. Perhaps this post made you take a step back and think about what you really want.
Either way, a healthy relationship means that you are happy, confident and are putting forth the best version of yourself. Red flags can be confused with red herrings, so talk things out. Always choose someone who makes you better – whether it’s your friends or your partner.
