Relationships can be significant in one’s life and provide a lot of emotional and practical support. They can also lead to personal growth and a sense of meaning.
Healthy relationships require balance, communication and respect for each person’s individuality. People may be in a relationship based on friendship, mutual benefit, love, limerence, solidarity or a number of other factors. Relationships may be long-term or short-term, formal or informal, monogamous or non-monogamy.
While the need for human connection appears to be innate, research suggests that the ability to form stable relationships is learned from the earliest experiences with caregivers who consistently meet an infant’s needs for food, care, warmth, protection and social contact. These early experiences shape deeply ingrained patterns of relating to other humans.
A Healthy Relationship is a partnership in which two people are able to share and develop a common culture that includes daily habits, celebrations and rituals that each has either adopted or created together. A healthy relationship is one that makes the other feel loved and appreciated, and is emotionally fulfilling.
When a relationship feels balanced, both people give and receive equal amounts of affection, energy and love, while still maintaining their own unique identities and getting their own needs met. They can be supportive of each other’s goals and hobbies. For example, if your partner loves to run marathons, and you have a busy schedule, it’s okay to drop your plans occasionally so they can train for their next race.