8 Habits of Healthy Relationships appeared first on Relationships Reality and was authored by Sarah Adelle and Sophia Elise

Healthy relationships don’t happen by accident. Healthy relationships take work, and each member does their share. Unhealthy habits cause unhealthy relationships, so you want to address destructive behaviors right away before they become a habit. (Since we all know habits are very hard to break.) Here is a list of 8 habits that are often found in healthy relationships. How many does your relationship have?

8 Habits of Healthy Relationships

1.  In healthy relationships, each member of the couple takes responsibility for their words and their actions. They do not resort to defensive behavior or pointing fingers back at their loved one. No couple is truly perfect, everyone makes mistakes, but when people accept their mistakes they are more likely to not repeat them.

2. A major healthy habit is to show appreciation and gratitude even for minor things. When you habitually feel grateful and appreciative, you do not take things for granted or develop a sense of entitlement. Lack of appreciation makes you feel unwanted and unloved.

3. Many couples get in the habit of talking, without really taking the time to listen to the one they love. In healthy relationships, the couple is in the habit of giving their loved one their full attention when they speak. They really listen, and give each other their undivided attention. They will pause the movie on television, turn off their cel phone, and look their partner in the eyes. No distractions, because what their partner has to say is important to them. This also helps the couples communication within the relationship because they both feel heard and that what they have to say is important to their partner.

4. Healthy relationships seem to have a habit of showing kindness and that they care for one another all the time. Little things add up, and help to keep the spark of romance in the relationship. So when you getting gas on the way home from work and see your partners favorite candy bar or magazine, buy it if you can afford it. Pitching in when your partner is doing chores or running an errand for them really goes a long way in a relationship.

5. Making time for the one you love and making them a priority is a habit seen in every healthy relationship. If the two of you are not ready, willing, and able to make one another a priority, who will?

6. Another get habit to get into is to set goals together. We all should have our own personal goals, but our relationships should have goals as well. You could work together to complete a household project, you could save money together towards a trip you both want to go on. Working towards goals as a couple and achieving goals as a couple strengthen the foundation of a relationship.

7. A healthy relationship is built on trust, and to build that trust you need honesty and transparency. (Even little lies can create a lot of damage) If you wouldn’t do it or say it in front of your loved one, don’t do it behind their back. You won’t get away with it forever, and is what you are doing worth risking your relationship?

8. Not sweating the small stuff seems to become a habit in healthy relationships. It cuts down on the criticizing and complaining, and keeps a lot of the negativity and unnecessary drama out of relationships. Is what you are bitching about really worth it? Is it that big a deal? We are supposed to love our partner warts and all, and if it really is not that big of a deal, then don’t make it a big deal.

What are some healthy habits that are in your relationship? Tell us in the comments below!

You may also like to check out our articles Positive Daily Affirmations for Couples and 10 Tips That Can Keep a Relationship Alive.

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