A must read for everyone
Strong relationships are
continually nurtured with care and communication. Although relationships can
take many forms, certain traits have been shown to be especially important for
healthy relationships.
Each individual should, for
starters, feel confident that their partner is willing to devote time and attention to the other. They must both also be committed
to accommodating the differences and challenges that inevitably emerge.
In the 21st century, good
relationships are generally marked by a sense of fairness, emotional as
well as physical—particularly in the distribution of chores necessary to
maintain a household. Partners in strong relationships also feel grateful for one another, openly provide and receive affection, and
engage in honest discussions about sex.
In good relationships, partners
try to afford their partner the benefit of the doubt, which creates a sense of
being on the same team in life. That feeling, maintained over the long term,
can help couples overcome many difficulties.
Why
Relationships Matter
Love is one of the most profound emotions known to human beings.
There are many kinds of love, but many people seek its expression in a romantic
relationship with a compatible partner (or partners).
For many, romantic relationships comprise one of the most
meaningful aspects of life, providing a source of deep fulfilment. The need for
human connection appears to be innate—but the ability to form healthy, loving
relationships is learned.
Some evidence suggests that the ability to form a stable
relationship starts to form in infancy, in a child’s earliest experiences with
a caregiver who
reliably meets the infant’s needs for food, care, warmth, protection,
stimulation, and social contact. Such relationships are not destiny, but they
are theorized to establish deeply ingrained patterns of relating to others.
Failed relationships happen for many reasons, and the failure of
a relationship is often a source of great psychological anguish. Most people
have to work consciously to master the skills necessary to make relationships
endure and flourish.
How to Find
Love
Finding a partner with whom to
share a life is a wonderful—yet sometimes difficult—process. Whether it’s
conducted online or in-person, the search will likely push an individual into
unfamiliar settings to encounter potential partners. In order to
be successful, it is often necessary to go outside one’s comfort
zone.
Dating is
a process by which people spend time with others in order to gradually
determine whether a particular person is suitable as a potential mate.
Determining whether a connection reflects temporary infatuation or true love
can sometimes be challenging, but research suggests that there are revealing
clues in behaviour.
One possibly counterintuitive
indicator of a potential match is one’s sense of self. Someone who would make a
good partner may push an individual to discover new activities or beliefs that
expand their self-concept. Another
early signifier may be stress:
Repeatedly interacting with someone whose impression matters deeply to someone
can fuel anxiety.
Other indicators include being
highly motivated to see the person and investing a significant amount of time,
emotion, and energy into the budding relationship.