Sometimes, it can be hard to tell what constitutes a good romantic relationship and what doesn’t, especially if your relationships in the past have always been one-sided or if you’ve only been in a few of them. It’s good to take stock of your current relationship with your partner, to ensure that you are both happy and are enhancing each other’s lives in healthy, positive ways. Here are some signs that your relationship is working.
You’ve met each other’s families. Until you are introduced to someone’s family, you won’t necessarily have the full picture of who they are. You are used to the façade and everyday life they have created for themselves as an adult. Meeting your partner’s family or seeing where they grew up opens up the door to a huge piece of that person’s history and where their values can come from. If they are willing to share that with you, you are on the right track.
You communicate well. The key to any great relationship is being able to communicate with the other person. If you don’t ever put yourself in a position that requires you to lie because you know they trust you and you trust them, then this is a sign that your relationship is a healthy one with lots of honest communication and trust.
You can laugh through anything. Life is unpredictable and often throws a lot our way, all at once. Having someone with you that can remind you that all the small things don’t matter is a wonderful gift; if you can get through a personal tragedy, a layoff, or a serious illness with your partner, you can likely get through anything.
You accept them at their worst. Some people are self-conscious about being with someone when they don’t look or feel their best (i.e. waking up in the morning with no makeup on or crying heavily after a trying day at work). However, when you’ve fully committed to someone, you’re making a decision to take them as they are, and they’re doing the same for you. As Marilyn Monroe once said, “If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
You can travel together. Anyone can put on a smile and look good for a night, but a trip together really shows you how you work with someone. You see that person for days straight and learn their mannerisms and how they handle any stress that comes with a trip. It is a huge test on how you to work together as a couple.
Image courtesy of Christopher Michel via Wikimedia Commons.
