Relation is one of the most common terms used in the English language. However, many people don’t really understand what relationship actually means. I’ll take a stab at explaining what relationship is, and how it differs from a romantic relationship.
A relationship is a interpersonal association; that involves emotional or physical intimacy, usually involving two people. In most cases, a relationship is a romantic one, as one person considers one partner to be his/her lover, while another considers their partner to be just a friend/singer. However, a more intimate relationship could also be a non-romantic relationship between friends, family, or closest acquaintances. In the past, a relationship was typically a two-way street, where one partner was always passive and responsive, while the other partner controlled the reins of power in the relationship. In recent times, however, there has been an increasing trend towards “partnership”, which some would define as a relationship where one partner does most of the work (making financial decisions, for example) and the other partner is more or less a passive partner who sometimes initiates conversation, co-signs for loans or generally takes care of day to day aspects of the relationship.
- Now that we’ve defined what a relationship is, let’s talk about what makes a relationship healthy.
- A good relationship allows for growth and expansion, two very important components to any life.
- Growth occurs when two people are able to communicate with each other in meaningful ways and expand their boundaries because of these changes.
- Expansions occur when new people are allowed into the relationship, and new dynamics create opportunities for interaction and deep connection.
- The relationship should allow for these things, as well as for it to have some stability.
- This means that the relationship has to be stable, and the rules and structure haven’t changed too much, and the people in the relationship are still compatible.
One of the biggest challenges that couples face in their relationships is boredom; Relationships that happen too quickly, where one person is romantically involved with one person, or where one person is romantically involved with one person but emotionally distant from the other, just aren’t long lasting. The basic problem with this is that once a person develops a strong emotional connection with that person, they’re usually locked into that relationship with that person. They have no room to move. Lack of physical affection can also lead to burn out, and to a potentially destructive scenario where one person feels like nothing is going right, while the other feels like everything is going great.
To prevent boredom in your relationship; and to avoid harmful dynamics where one person leaves the other, you need to build some kind of balance. This requires you understanding what kind of dynamic will keep your romantic life interesting, and how you can change the dynamic if need be. It also means understanding how to resolve conflict in your relationship. Conflict is the bread and butter of relationships, and if you don’t have some way to resolve the conflict, then you aren’t likely going to have any sort of meaningful relationship. So learning how to effectively resolve conflict is part of being a good romantic partner.
Overall, learning how to keep a relationship alive and exciting requires you to work at it on a daily basis. Be honest with your partner about your feelings and listen to them. Make sure that you understand that everyone has different expectations, and that you are expected to meet those expectations. The important thing to remember here is that in every relationship, whether they are romantic or platonic, always give your partner room – they deserve it.