When you first start dating someone, everything is quite new and exciting, like a roller coaster ride. However, one should aware of the things to look for in a relationship as they are the foundation of the ever after love. Romantic and grand gestures are always welcome, but is it all that a relationship is based on?
Apparently, no, there are a lot of things to keep in mind when you start dating. Even relationships require a lot of hard work to keep them healthy and strong. It’s not just the sex that keeps it moving forward but other qualities as well that help make it to the altar.
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What Makes A Relationship Healthy
Figuring out relationships aren’t a piece of cake, however, you must know what do you look for in a relationship. If you are expecting a serious relationship, going for someone who wants to date casually would be the worst choice. It will only lead to disappointments in the end.
If you are about to go on your first date, we also have tips on how to make a good impression on the first date that will lead to a healthy relationship.
Apart from that, you need to understand that relationships aren’t just based on sex. A strong and serious relationship is much above that. It has certain qualities that not all relationships have.
Let’s have a look at the qualities to look for in your dating partner.
1. Sense of Humour
Laughter isn’t the best medicine for nothing, especially in relationships. If your partner has no sense of humor, or in other words, isn’t funny, it is a red flag for you. Taking everything seriously in a relationship can be the end of it.
Your partner should be jolly, easy-going and someone you can have fun with. With no sense of humor, you will have to be cautious all the time that you don’t end up saying something wrong in front of him. And even you crack a joke or try to have fun, they might not be interested.
This is one of the things to look for in a relationship for sure, no matter what kind of physical aspects are you looking for in the person. A person with a sense of humor will always lighten up your mood, no matter what.
2. Communication
Communication is one of the very important qualities of a good relationship. Both the partners should be able to communicate openly about their feelings, desires as well as secrets. Apart from that, your partner should be able to tell you about their past when they are dating you.
There is more to communication in a relationship than you think. For instance, if you get a promotion at work, is your partner as happy and excited as you are? These are tiny little details that you must not ignore in a relationship, especially in a serious one. There are some relationship questions to ask before taking things to the next level.
Basic communication means that if you are going shopping with your girlfriends, he should know. On the other hand, if he is going for a game night with his friends, you should know that too.
3. Trust
Trust is the foundation of any relationship. Without trust, you can’t build a relationship. You must keep that trust built and ensure that your partner is reliable.
If you have to think twice before trusting your partner, you are with the wrong person. Trust builds emotional intimacy and without it, you will always be unsure if you can rely on your partner or not.
This can only cause hurt and emotional pain, which obviously no one wants in a relationship.
4. Honesty
As we just talked about trust, one of the most important traits to look for in a partner is honesty. If your partner is honest to you, you have hit the jackpot. However, if it is not the case, you need to leave as soon as you can.
Honesty in a relationship is as important as trust because if they are not honest, you cannot trust them. Honesty and trust go side by side. It doesn’t mean they have to tell you their day-to-day routine.
However, if anything is related to your relationship, it must be told to you. Hiding something or worse, lying is as good as cheating in a relationship.
5. Affection
Needless to say, love and affection are what to want in a relationship and one of the most important elements of it as well. However, this does not mean that it only points out towards sex.
Although physical intimacy is necessary for a relationship, love and affection can be shown in different ways as well.
Such ways can be small romantic physical gestures like hugs, kisses, comforting each other, and other ways of touch. These touches show that you are not in the relationship just for sex, but are genuinely interested in the person. It shows how fond and attracted you are to each other.
If your partner is only asking for sex then beware, he is not attracted to you or interested in you. Find a partner who is genuinely interested in you and makes such physical and romantic gestures.
6. Compromise
Every relationship needs to be flexible and both partners need to compromise on somethings. For instance, if you have guests coming over, he can chop the vegetable and you can do the cooking. In this way, both of you are doing the work.
However, if he asks you to do the cooking all by yourself because he wants to watch a game, that’s where you are compromising much more than him.
For a healthy relationship, both the partners need to adjust together, instead of just one. With just one partner adjusting and making the compromise, will lead the relationship into toxic.
As a mature adult, what do you want in a relationship is to compromise by both partners. This is quite important as, without this flexibility, the relationship will easily end. Apart from that, it will not be a healthy relationship as well.
7. Safety
The feeling of being safe with your partner is quite important in a relationship when we talk about what do you look for in a partner. There should not be any doubt that your partner could hurt in a way, whether physically or emotionally. And one can get to know this only after getting to know a person for a long time.
However, if your partner has been or is hurting you, then the relationship is already unsafe. In fact, it is known as an abusive relationship and one should be getting out of it as soon as possible. Such relationships are unsafe and can be very toxic as well.
8. Similarities
Yes, opposites attract, but similarities attract even more! Look for a partner who has much more similar to you. For instance, similar hobbies or interests so that you guys gel much more and are able to click instantly.
However, at the same time, both of you should have a few different hobbies as well so that you guys can know the different parts about each other.
Both of you will be filled with curiousness, new experiences, and will be able to spend time doing new things. This is one of the best qualities of a good relationship.
9. Staying in Touch
One of the qualities of a good relationship is that you and your partner always stay in touch. This doesn’t mean you keep on texting from morning till night or calling each other after every 5 minutes.
However, as both of you have work or have to meet friends and family, it doesn’t mean you forget about your partner.
Send texts in between work or call for a few minutes and make sure your partner does that as well. This is one of the most things to look for in a relationship as it tightens and makes the bond stronger.
If your partner is not attempting to stay in touch, it might create problems in your relationship.
10. Appreciation
One of the traits to look for in a partner is appreciation. You’re your partner appreciate that you are all dressed up well? Does she appreciate the necklace you bought for her as a surprise?
Apart from that, appreciation doesn’t just go for such gifts or surprises. They go for everything you do. For instance, a promotion, something you have cooked, your wine choice and so much more.
However, if you are not being appreciated by your partner, which is something you want from a relationship, something is wrong. It’s better to make amends rather than dealing with heartache later.
11. Respect
When two people are in a relationship, they are supposed to respect each other, whether it comes to their decisions, choices, or their personal space.
However, if your partner is not respecting you in any sort of way, especially in public places it can be humiliating. What do you look for in a partner is respect as it is a priority in a relationship.
If you are respecting your partner and they are not, it is not an equal relationship. Make sure that your partner respects you and treats you as an equal.
12. Support
Imagine you are up for a promotion along with another colleague and only one can get it. While your heart is racing, what do you expect from your partner? Gaming or working out, or sitting next to you with encouraging words that the promotion is yours.
This is one of the things to look for in a relationship, rather than rock hard body or a tiny waist. When your partner is supportive it creates a positive aura around you and the relationship flourishes even more.
No matter what it is about, something small like cooking a meal or big like a job interview, your partner should always be there to support you.
13. Growth
A healthy relationship is supposed to have room for the growth of the two of you. It should not be a relationship where both of you pull each other down but in fact, pull each other up.
For instance, a relationship, in which one partner teaches the other smoking is not bringing any growth.
However, a relationship in which one partner gives the other partner space and time for their studies is a growing relationship. What to want in a relationship is that space and time for you and your partner’s growth.
Often people believe that a relationship means that you are supposed to stick by them 24×7. But that can make the relationship toxic and unhealthy.
14. Care
When you get into a serious relationship, what do you look for in a relationship? You look for caring approaches from your partner, whether they are regarding your health or holding your purse. According to a study, such small caring gestures meant that your partner loves you.
So, looking for a partner who cares about you should always be a priority. However, if the care begins to stop, you certainly know what it means.
15. Empathy
If your partner has the natural quality of empathy, you are definitely lucky to have them in your life. When your partner is empathetic, he will be able to feel your struggles in life and positively respond to them.
A partner with no empathy will probably have no idea what to do. Apart from that, an empathetic partner will be quite sensitive to other people as well and show empathy towards them as well. This is one of the topmost things to look for in a relationship.
Conclusion
When it comes to dating and relationships, physical attraction isn’t the only thing to run after. After all, beauty fades. Whether a man or a woman, these are the qualities that one should always look for in their dating partner.
Before you commit to your partner, make sure that he or she has these qualities or the relationship might turn into chaos.