Do you ever wonder what makes healthy couples so successful in their relationships? While no partnership is perfect, they make love seem effortless and blissful. Maybe you want to create a more harmonious relationship with your special someone but don’t know where to start. Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with an instruction manual, so most of us have to learn by trial and error.
Every relationship requires both people to contribute equally and support, even on the toughest days. Life moves so rapidly in our modern world that many feel the strain in our relationships. We simply don’t take the time for each other anymore amidst our myriad responsibilities. However, even the busiest people can learn the secrets of healthy couples to create a more fulfilling relationship.
7 Things Healthy Couples Do Differently
These seven positive behaviors strengthen relationships.
1. Healthy Couples Practice Mindfulness.
Healthy couples make time for one another to enjoy each other’s company. Even if they have to pencil in quality time together, they do whatever it takes to keep the connection alive. After all, how can you maintain the relationship if you never see your partner?
Couples who have strong relationships enjoy making one another happy. They go out of their way to ensure their partner feels appreciated and content. When they spend time together, they turn off all distractions and focus on strengthening their relationship.
Healthy couples put aside electronics and anything else that takes away their time together. They practice mindfulness by forgetting about the world and tuning back into their partnership. And they don’t necessarily plan extravagant activities during quality time. Simply cuddling on the couch and talking about life can bring more joy than going on a date.
2. They Plan Exciting Activities Sometimes.
Sometimes, couples feel perfectly content spending a cozy, lazy evening watching their favorite movie on the couch. When you finish the daily grind, you naturally want to recharge from a busy day. However, getting up, working, and watching TV can become monotonous. Most couples feel the need to spice things up every so often.
Studies reveal that planning an adventure with your partner can help keep the spark alive. Taking an exciting trip together or sampling food from a new restaurant in town can quickly reignite the flames in a relationship. Healthy couples know when to put responsibilities on the back burner and focus on enjoying life’s many pleasures.
3. Healthy Couples Communicate Effectively.
Unfortunately, many people today have forgotten the art of active listening. This form of listening involves allowing the other person to speak without interjecting. It also means listening to understand rather than reply and expressing empathy toward the speaker.
Studies show that healthy couples who communicate effectively practice active listening whether they realize it or not. They look one another in the eyes and shut out all distractions. If couples disagree, they don’t view each other as the enemy. Instead, they work together to solve problems and remain open to compromise.
In relationships, we all want to feel seen and heard by our partners. Couples who share their deepest thoughts and make their partners feel comfortable doing the same have the most fulfilling relationships.
4. Happy Couples Work As A Team.
No couple enjoys arguing, but it does happen in even the healthiest relationships. After all, no one can agree on everything, even if they have similar personalities and values. Therefore, it makes sense to learn how to fight fairly in relationships so that problems don’t become overblown.
Approaching problems as a team rather than individuals keep things from escalating. If couples accuse one another rather than work on solutions together, they naturally become defensive. However, healthy couples see the relationship as one entity that involves two people. To keep the partnership afloat, they put aside their egos and make decisions that benefit each of them.
5. They Express Appreciation For Each Other.
Happy couples express gratitude for one another often. They don’t hold grudges and feel truly thankful to have each other, even during difficult times. A simple “thank you” goes a long way in a relationship and can help people feel validated. No matter how long they’ve been together, the happiest partners find small ways to appreciate each other.
6. They Have Clear Boundaries and Spend Time Apart.
The longest-lasting partners realize the importance of creating boundaries in a relationship. Everyone needs time to explore their interests and build connections outside a romantic relationship. Couples who spend too much time together can become codependent and have an unhealthy attachment style.
Have you ever met couples who seem to be joined at the hip? They do everything together and seem completely entangled in one another’s lives. These types of relationships tend to fizzle out quickly because couples simply grow tired of each other. Everyone needs room to breathe and have an identity of their own.
So, healthy couples try to maintain a balance between independence and intimacy.
7. Healthy Couples Speak Partner’s Love Language.
We all give and receive love differently based on our unique personalities and preferences. Not all couples speak the same love language, but that doesn’t mean the relationship can’t work. Each partner should try to understand how their significant other experiences love. That way, the relationship flows more smoothly when both people are attuned to one another’s needs.
Marriage counselor Dr. Gary Chapman devised Five Love Languages to describe how couples offer and receive love. These include acts of service, words of affirmation, gift-giving, quality time, and physical touch. Some people prefer to hear loving words, while others enjoy acts of kindness. Learning your partner’s love language can help you understand them more deeply and create a stronger bond.
Final Thoughts on Seven Habits of Healthy Couples
Most people see a happy couple and assume they have a perfect partnership. However, you can never know what happens behind closed doors. You may also not realize that it takes years to build an intimate bond with someone. Healthy couples didn’t get that way overnight; their relationship gradually blossomed after many trials and tribulations.
Many couples spend years trying to communicate effectively and learn more about each other. After they’ve built a solid foundation, they begin to relax in the relationship and feel a renewed appreciation for one another. So, if you want to enjoy a successful relationship, remember the basics: honesty, respect, and compassion.
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