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Six healthy relationship habits most people think are toxic

Relationships
 The traditional points of view are being wiped out as people become more open to learning new ways of appreciating one another (Shutterstock)

In today’s relationships, a lot of things are changing. The traditional points of view are being wiped out as people become more open to learning new ways to appreciate one another.

Previously, certain relationship habits were viewed as the way to go. So called ‘gurus’ and ‘experts’ came up with a blue print of how to handle each other. With time, some of these habits actually led to broken relationships.

Luckily, we’re here to address some of those habits that were previously considered toxic. With these new guidelines, we can learn to be a bit more lenient and have loving and fulfilling relationships.

Spending time apart

Most people think that the more time you spend with your partner, the more connected you’ll be. The assumption is that you should show how dedicated you are by not leaving your partner’s side at all. While spending time definitely boosts a relationship, spending too much time does the opposite. It erodes your individuality and independence which is damaging to a relationship. It’s important that you spend time apart to focus on your own strengths. Otherwise, it becomes easy to lose yourself when you don’t have any sense of independence.

Accepting flaws

To be honest, we all have flaws as much as we act otherwise. No one is perfect and no relationship is perfect either. I’m sure we have something that we’d like to change in ourselves and in our partners but the way you handle those things matters. In life, people have to learn certain things on their own in order to change them. You cannot dictate each other’s lives and expect to be happy. Before you get into a relationship with someone, be honest with yourself and see whether their flaws are something you can deal.

Hurting feelings

Being too nice for the sake of not hurting feelings is also damaging. It’s worse to learn that your partner lied in situations where the truth would have been far much better. The truth can be a little difficult to handle especially when you care about someone, but being honest is the only way to grow. This however isn’t an excuse to be mean and insensitive. Being kind while giving your opinion is also essential for a loving relationship.

 No one is perfect and no relationship is perfect either (Shutterstock)
Prioritizing other things

For some reason, many people assume that something is wrong if they’re not their partner’s top priority all the time. News flash! There are things like work commitments, family emergencies and other priorities that need our attention besides our relationship. It’s actually more concerning when your partner is the only thing surrounding your life. It can be toxic and suck the spark out of the relationship. Be happy when you’re not the center of attention all the time because you won’t have to carry all the weight of making your partner happy.

Flirting with others

Before you come throwing stones, hear me out on this one. There is a difference between being emotionally interested in someone and playful or harmless flirting. The assumption is that once you’re in a relationship, you should only be attracted to your partner at all times. The truth is, it’s not practical to be only attracted to one person your entire life. Harmless flirting could actually help your relationship because its shows that you’re both still attractive to people outside the relationship. It’s also encouraging because you’ll feel lucky that other people can only flirt but have no real access to your partner.

Not responding to texts quickly

The age of technology has brought its own challenges especially in relationships. We’re sometimes quick to be angry with our partner if they don’t respond to texts right away. Honestly, if it’s not an emergency, you don’t need to be constantly talking throughout the day. The rate at which we reply texts messages shouldn’t hold the power to make or break the relationship.

 

Love is…

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