9 Green Flags to Look for in a Healthy Relationship
We spend a lot of time talking about red flags in relationships. You know the ones: they’re rude to the waiter, they “hate drama” but are always in it, or their favorite movie is somehow still American Psycho.
While knowing what to run away from is essential, it’s just as important to know what you should be running towards. A study published in the National Institute of Health shows that couples who recognize and nurture green flags tend to experience greater relationship satisfaction and stability over time.
Accountability
The non-accountable person experiences any feedback as a personal attack. A healthy relationship allows both partners to fulfill their responsibilities without defensiveness. Being able to admit mistakes, apologize, and follow through on actions is a language of feeling safe and forms the foundation of a long-term relationship.
Psychological Stability
Do they implode, retreat, or weaponize stress? Or can they stay grounded enough to talk, reflect, and bounce back? Research by Liana Spytska found that people with higher stress tolerance had better maintenance of mental health and adaptability even under extreme conditions.
Celebrating Independence
A healthy partner celebrates your independence, rather than fearing it. This connection often stems from an individual’s attachment style. Between a secure and an approval-based attachment style, a PubMed study demonstrates that secure attachment is optimal for fostering elevated, thriving relationships.
Generalized Reciprocity
A 2016 study by Arnocky et al. revealed that altruistic individuals, characterized by their selfless kindness, tended to attract more dating and sexual partners. Across two experiments, generosity consistently emerged as a predictor of romantic success, with this effect proving more significant among men.
Communication and Listening
Good communication is listening to understand, not to respond. Healthy couples foster emotional safety by allowing space for one another’s thoughts without the need to defend or fix.
A Lasting and Healthy Social Circle
Couples who sustain friendships and outside connections have strong trust and emotional stability. Although a 2021 study discovered that men and women experience the liberty to be separate from each other in a marital relationship, it also found that women’s autonomous social time increases in middle adulthood, while men’s time spent with others, independent of their spouses, decreases as they age.
The bottom line: couples have the best relationship when both partners maintain and cultivate social circles beyond one another.
Value Alignment
Having similar values is essential in a healthy relationship. While it’s not necessary to have all the same interests and beliefs, having core values that align can create a strong foundation for a long-lasting partnership.
This means being on the same page about things like family, money, religion, and personal goals. When two partners value the same things, they are more likely to support and understand each other’s choices and decisions.
Time Consciousness
Just Mind Counseling reports that couples who create a harmonious schedule over three areas—Individual Self, Couple, and Family—suffer less stress and hidden resentment. If one is lacking, the whole equation is imbalanced. A partner who respects your time, shows up for the important stuff, and knows when you need space is emotionally mature. Time is the most truthful form of love and priority.
Capacity for Joy and Playfulness
They can laugh, tease kindly, and find lightness even during tension. Playfulness keeps relationships emotionally supple and prevents seriousness from suffocating love.
The 15 Things Women Only Do With the Men They Love
The 15 Things Women Only Do With the Men They Love
Love is a complex, beautiful emotion that inspires profound behaviors. We express our love in various ways, some universal, while others are unique to each individual. Among these expressions, there are specific actions women often reserve for the men they deeply love.
This piece explores 15 unique gestures women make when they’re in love. From tiny, almost invisible actions to grand declarations, each tells a story of deep affection and unwavering commitment.
Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life
Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life
How does aging affect our bodies and minds, and how can we adapt to those differences? These are questions that pertain to us all. Aging gradually alters people over decades, a long period shaped by individuals’ economic and social circumstances, their behaviors, their neighborhoods, and other factors. Also, while people experience common physiological issues in later life, they don’t follow a well-charted, developmentally predetermined path. Let’s take a look at what science has told us to expect.
