Being in a relationship may be one of the most significant yet challenging phases in your life. It may give you a feeling of excitement, fun, intense emotions and some heartaches too. An essential element to a happy relationship with your partner is to maintain a healthy relationship.

It may seem all too normal to look at your relationship through rose-colored glasses especially in its early stages. But keeping the relationship happy and rosy can be tough, what with the twists and turns that can come your way over time. The following keys can help maintain your relationship in the pink of health.

Respect ¨CMutual respect should be about valuing and understanding your partner for who s/he is and is not. You should be able to respect your partner despite your differences and not try to challenge his/her boundaries.

Trust. It is normal to get jealous sometimes, but if your partner reacts way overboard or too differently when s/he gets jealous may no longer be healthy. Trust is very important for a relationship to survive. It can be very difficult for you to be in a healthy relationship if you or your partner has trust issues.

Honesty. Honesty goes alongside trust because you cannot fully trust if you are not being completely honest with each other.

Support ¨C In a healthy relationship, both of you should always be there for each other not just in good weather but more so in bad times. Being there to hear your partner out or simply standing by him/her can do a long way for your relationship.

Give-and-take. A relationship in which one does too much giving and the other one does too much taking is not good, and is certainly not healthy at all. A relationship should be about giving and taking. However, keeping a running count and checking whether you are doing it fair and square are not even healthy either. A relationship can take its toll for the worse if either or both of you always want it your way at all times.

Compromise. Being able to make compromises and looking after your partner's happiness before yours constitute a healthy relationship. However, that does not mean that you should lose yourself in the process, neither does it mean that you have to give up the things you love nor pretend or force to like something you don't. Even if you are emotionally exclusive, you should still be able to pursue your own separate pursuits and interests.

Good communication. Miscommunication, or a lack of it, can hinder a healthy relationship. Don't be afraid to tell your partner how you really feel even if it may sound silly or if it is not what s/he may want to hear. Your partner will appreciate it more if you do so.

Just as you do your part at making the relationship work, you should be able to love yourself first and more importantly. Often, unhealthy relationships spring from identity crises and self-esteem issues. Keep in mind that your partner is not responsible for your own happiness. If you are not happy with yourself, you may more likely find it difficult to make your partner happy and do your part in the relationship as well.

In addition, a relationship that no longer makes you happy and instead makes you feel as if it were more of a drag or burden may already be unhealthy. It is important to do a relationship check and discuss whether both of you can still work the relationship out or better let it go.

A relationship that lets you bring out the best in each other is always healthy. And by constantly working on these aspects, you can keep your relationship a truly happy and meaningful one.

Tags & Keywords :