Whether you've been dating someone a while, currently live with a partner, or are part of a long-married couple, you might be seeking ways to better the relationship you have. Unlike holiday love stories and romantic comedies in which all is resolved after one or two conflicts, maintaining thriving relationships takes some effort. But it doesn’t have to be difficult.
We hear a lot about what’s bad in relationships, or about the so-called red flags. But what’s important to have in relationships that go the distance? This article will explore the positive indicators, or green flags, to look for that tell us that we are in a safe and healthy relationship.
Being scared of commitment is sometimes a sign of gamophobia, or the fear of marriage and commitment. People who have this fear are often so scared of commitment that they are unable to form lasting, long-term relationships. Fear of commitment often means that while you want to continue a relationship, you struggle to be vulnerable or take steps forward
Being in a new relationship can be exciting. However, if someone has recently been through a breakup and isn't over their ex yet, it may be a rebound relationship. “A rebound is often brief, and can be emotionally confusing, as members can be unsure of what they want and are still heavily emotionally engaged with the past.
Long-distance relationships can be problematic for the growth of a healthy relationship. The ramifications can also affect your mental health in negative ways. But it's also possible to thrive in a long-distance relationship. Distance can indeed make the heart grow fonder.
To help you better navigate the world of dating, you can begin your journey by first dating yourself. It’s difficult to evaluate the suitability of someone else as a partner if you haven’t taken the time to get to know yourself. Your relationship with others will be affected by how you view yourself.
During the dating phase of a relationship, you get to see all aspects of the other person's personality.1 One of the things you'll notice is how eager your partner is to get married. For people who are not ready to get married or make a long-term commitment, this eagerness may be a turn off. For those looking for a lifelong mate, a high interest in marriage could be encouraging.
When a relationship is new, both of you are seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Everything is fresh and new. As you look at each other, you see someone who is exciting and perfect. Even the world around you seems brighter and happier than it did before you found each other. In that “new” stage of a relationship, it’s easy to say loving things to each other.
Everyone wants to feel like their significant other appreciates them. When your partner doesn’t acknowledge your efforts or makes you feel taken for granted, feeling undervalued is upsetting. But the relationship can still thrive, and you can work things out with your partner if you’re both committed to it.