Before I started to write this article, I had a slight hesitation owing to a disagreement lingering from the night before. I don’t even remember what my husband, Michael, and I argued about, but at the time it seemed like a REALLY BIG DEAL (caps lock on). We both laughed the next day when I asked Michael his thoughts on healthy relationships for this article. Before I got married, I thought the definition of a healthy relationship was minimal conflict. Maybe that’s what a lot of us think on some level. But now, I see that minimal conflict may even go in the unhealthy relationship category because oftentimes this is a sign of stuffed feelings that lead to resentment, a lack of voice in the relationship, or a relationship devoid of intimacy. So, argue on, couples, but here are a few things I believe every healthy marriage has.
8 Signs of A Great Relationship
1. Healthy Conflict Resolution Devoid of Name-Calling, Yelling or Low Blows
Michael and I have a rule in our marriage—no name calling or low blows when we are frustrated with each other. I remember sitting in premarital counseling thinking this was a silly rule, because I thought I would never want to use harsh words toward this man I love deeply. But as our relationship matured, we both have admittedly wanted to hurt the other person with our words. Two different people in a close relationship are going to disagree, hurt each others feelings, and have selfish tendencies. The key is to learn how to solve these issues as they arise without letting emotions take over our better judgement.
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