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11 Ways to Communicate Better in Your Relationship

March 20, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Everyone agrees that effective communication is an important part of any relationship. If only it were that simple.

Great conversation doesn’t equate to great communication, however. Problems happen because relationships involve people, and as people we tend to bring our emotions, past experiences, and expectations to conversations we have. However, healthier and stronger relationships are just a good conversation away.

Here are some guidelines for communicating in a way that respects your partner and honors your relationship.

11 Ways to Communicate Better in Relationships

1 – Listen

When a conversation gets heated, it’s common to get so focused on making our point that we forget to listen to the other side. When we are trying to prove our side, it’s sometimes hard to take a step back and just listen. It is important to use phrases like, “Tell me more about …” or “Help me understand…” Asking questions to help us focus on listening and encourage them to talk more, will help everyone feel respected.

2 – Timing is Everything

It is important to be respectful of people when we are selecting a time to talk. Blindsiding the other person makes it is hard to have a meaningful conversation. Instead, let them know that you want to talk later, when the timing is better.

3 – Take a Breather

If something is frustrating, it might be better to wait to approach the other person. Just because we are angry or have the need to talk, doesn’t mean we have to do it right away. Time and distance can put the issue into perspective and allow the emotion of the situation to dissipate.

4 – Pay Attention

When we communicate, there are more than just words to consider. We should be paying attention to nonverbal communication cues as well. The tone of the conversation, eye contact, the stance and how far away you are standing away from the other person are clues to what is being said beyond the words.

It’s not just the other person’s body language that we need to be aware of either, we need to be aware of our own, too.

5 – Listen For Feelings

When we listen – we connect more deeply to our needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Also, listening makes it easier for others to hear us when it’s our turn to speak.

6 – Focus on Now

If we are holding on to grudges based on past resentments, it will cloud our ability to see the now. Rather than looking backward and blaming, look at what you can do right now to solve the problem.

7 – Face to Face

Many people resort to “texting out” difficult or stressful situations, rather than talking them out with another person. While it certainly makes it easier to have a difficult conversation and helps to avoid confrontation, the only appropriate way to have an important conversation is face to face.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to get the full picture, and that includes all sorts of communication cues that only happen when you are talking in person.

8 – Forgive

Solutions are impossible if you’re unwilling or unable to forgive. We have to be willing to let go of wanting to punish the other person. Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. It simply means that we choose to let go in order to move forward.

9 – Pick Your Relationship Battles

Conflicts are hard and sometimes the energy just isn’t worth it. Ask yourself, “Is this disagreement worth my time and emotional investment?” Make the solution a priority – even over being right. Winning at all costs is not worth our relationships.

10 – Let It Go

If you can’t come to an agreement, sometimes the adage, “let’s agree to disagree” may be the right course of action. It only takes one person to keep an argument going, and that happens when we don’t let things go. If it’s going nowhere, it might be time to move on.

11 – A Relationship Is a Two-Way Street

Ask more questions, seek feedback and be receptive. It is hard to hear things that are less than flattering, but it is important to allow people to have their own, independent voice. When receiving feedback, don’t feel the need to respond immediately. In fact, it might serve us better to take the feedback and respond after taking that breather discussed earlier.

Giving people a safe environment for communication to flourish is as important as you trying to communicate effectively.

Bonus Relationship Tip: Be Respectful

Being respectful means accepting opinions that differ from our own. Even if you don’t agree with the other point of view, it is still a valid point of view and deserves attention.

By dismissing the point of view, we are dismissing the other person. Avoid the appearance of an attack by talking in a calm voice, avoiding sarcasm and gossip.

You can begin to improve your relationships beginning right now by trying the tips included here that are most comfortable to you. They work for all kinds relationships too. Put these communication best practices into action at work, home, the gym and wherever you find yourself interacting with others. When you do, your relationships will surely become stronger.

What tips can you add to the list that will help us all communicate better? Share in the discussion below! And, please be sure to join our Facebook group for more conversations.

Top 10 Techniques to Stay Positive

March 20, 2015 by Power of Positivity

If you can maintain a positive attitude with so much negativity in the world today, you have accomplished something truly remarkable. With just the push of a button or scroll of your finger, you can instantly tune in to the latest news and events happening around the world, and a lot of them paint a very bleak picture of our reality.

However, feeding into all of this heavy energy will only bring you down as well, so make sure to practice these techniques daily in order to keep your positivity alive.

Here 10 of our favorite techniques to stay positive:

1. Watch mainstream news media very infrequently.

If you have ever watched the news, you have probably noticed very quickly that the reporters portray the world as a scary, dark, volatile place devoid of any happiness or compassion. However, the news media have to report on things that supposedly happen in order to get higher ratings. In other words, they don’t report on what isn’t happening, because that wouldn’t attract any viewers. They often misconstrue or totally fabricate events to appeal to a higher agenda, so make sure you limit your exposure to the news. Instead, put on something that induces much happier vibes, like a documentary about nature or your favorite comedy.

2. Live a life that feels like a constant vacation so you don’t feel the need to escape it.

Why do we go on vacation, anyway? Maybe some do to get away from their jobs, others long to see new places, and still others want to de-stress and relax. However, all of these people have something in common: they all want a break from their normal lives. If you really think about it, wouldn’t it make more sense to just build a life you truly enjoy so you don’t feel imprisoned by the circumstances you’ve created? Live your bliss every day – this way, each day will start to feel like a vacation.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

If you feel drained or unhappy after hanging out with someone, you should question what value they add to your life. Simply put, if the people you surround yourself with don’t make you or your life better, you need to seek out a more positive group of people to hang around. Moods tend to spread contagiously when people get together, and most people would rather catch a positive attitude than a negative one. You get to choose what company you keep, so make sure to pick those who make you feel more alive, not suck the life out of you.

4. Meditate as often as you can.

One of the best ways to take a break from negativity is to just go within and sit in silence for a little while. You can do this in whatever place resonates with you and makes you feel the most peaceful. Try meditating in nature sometimes as well; the sounds of birds chirping or water crashing against rocks will ease you into a tranquil state of mind and wash away any stress you might feel.

5. Stay in the present moment.

You might call this living consciously, practicing mindfulness, or living in the now. Whatever you want to call it, just make sure you do and say everything with full awareness, and don’t rush through life always trying to get somewhere or accomplish something. Just be, and appreciate every moment you have on this beautiful planet.

6. Make some time to play.

People work longer hours than ever before, so it’s no wonder we have such high rates of depression in the world today. All animals need copious amounts of time to bond with one another and enjoy life, including humans. Make sure to clear out some of your schedules so you can let go and forget about the trivial matters in life that we tend to magnify in importance (bills, money, etc).

7. Spread love and kindness to everyone you meet.

More than anything else, people need love and kindness desperately in the modern times we live in. With so much hostility and stress in interactions today, be the person to lighten the load for others and remind them that kind people do still exist. You might even inspire them to go out and sprinkle some love and compassion around the world, too.

8. Turn off your phone, laptop, and other electronics.

We have become a society so engrossed in the digital world that we have forgotten the treasures that exist out in nature. We have become accustomed to a world constantly tuned into technology that we rarely tune out and go play outside. For at least one full hour a day, shut off your electronics and do things you really enjoy – meditate, run around outside, do yoga, exercise, bake a delicious dessert, or whatever brings joy to your heart.

9. Express gratitude daily.

A lot of us spend a considerable amount of time wishing we had more money, more freedom, more vacations, more this, and more that; we don’t usually stop to think about what we already have that brings us happiness and comfort. Whatever you do have that makes your life better, (food, water, shelter, family, sunshine, your guitar, your backyard, etc) make sure to take a second out of your day to simply say “thank you.” This will help you adopt a more positive attitude about life if you acknowledge all the things you have to be thankful for.

10. Give big bear hugs.

Not just any kind of hugs, but the ones that make others feel completely loved, comforted, and appreciated. People have become so disconnected from one another due to a number of things, like the rampant use of social media, more demanding jobs, and other life pressures. However, a hug can instantly unite two people and strengthen the bond between those who already know one another.

Start a free hugs campaign if you have to, and show people (including yourself) the amazing power that hugs have to stimulate love and happiness in a world that greatly needs it.

What valuable tips can you add to this list? Share in the discussion below!

16 Ways To Be A Better Relationship Partner

March 19, 2015 by Chris Butler

Relationships that lend value to our life are essential for our overall well-being and happiness, and being a great relationship partner is what matters most.

“You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.” ~Barbara de Angelis

When a relationship hits a rough patch, we often look at the other person and emphasize all the annoying things as if those traits are at fault. The reality is we should be looking at our behaviors because that is all we can control.

16 New Habits to Make You a Better Relationship Partner

Here are sixteen ways to become a better partner in your relationship:

1. Leave the relationship baggage behind you

We all have baggage. Whether it’s the expectations we bring with us from childhood or experiences from past relationships, baggage prevents us from realizing the true potential of our current relationships.

Everyone has felt lonely, empty, or inadequate at one time or another. No matter what we have, something always seems to be missing. The way out is to get to know the real you. Become comfortable having a relationship with yourself first, and everything else will begin to take care of itself.

2. Argue for the other side

When we get into a disagreement, it is usually because one person has one opinion, and the other has the opposite. When we argue our position, we look for evidence to support our point of view, and we keep looking until we feel we can “win.”

Imagine what would happen if you switched sides? Instead of gathering evidence to support your point of view, start gathering evidence to support the other side of the story.

It’s fair to say that both sides of any argument will have valid points, and if you wanted to, you could argue either side. As you start to make a case for the opposite side, you can usually see some validity to the opposing position. In fact, you will be amazed at how convincing you can be – so compelling that you might find yourself on a road that leads to the end of the argument altogether.

3. React less

Amid emotional situations, it is a natural reaction to overreact. It is easy to see when the other person is overreacting. However, we are not as likely to recognize our overreactions.

Our actions develop based on how we feel. And sometimes, we have big feelings which cause some significant moves. Reacting less doesn’t mean ignoring or minimizing problems, just controlling our reaction to them. The key to responding less is choosing to act based on how we want to feel, not think.

4. Stop complaining, start exclaiming

The average person complains between 15 and 30 times per day. That’s a lot of complaining, and almost everyone is guilty. Of course, eliminating the need to complain is easier said than done. First, you have to recognize and understand what you are complaining about. Once you know why you are complaining, you have two courses of action: You can accept the situation or change it.

Once you’re ready to change what you were complaining about, start exclaiming what you will do about it – and follow through. When you repeat powerful positive mantras that train your brain to create thoughts, words, and ultimately actions, you’ll quickly bring about change in the areas you were once complaining about.

5. Find favor

The Benjamin Franklin Effect assumes that we do nice things for people we like and bad things for those we dislike.

However, the psychology behind the effect says the opposite, which is that we grow to like people when we do nice things for them.

In a nutshell, asking and receiving a favor generates good feelings on both sides.

Want to eliminate negative feelings and establish good rapport? Don’t hesitate to ask them for a favor, and certainly don’t be afraid to provide one yourself.

6. Sweat your small stuff

Standard advice for relationships is to “stop sweating the small stuff.” A little sweating of the small stuff in relationships can be a good thing – when it’s your stuff you’re focusing on, instead of your partners’.

There are plenty of things your partner does that annoy you:

Leaving their laundry on the floor, not turning off their phone during dinner, or forgetting to take out the trash – every day.

Now think about all the little things you do that may annoy your partner. It’s these tiny annoyances that can build and create actual conflict in a relationship.

So instead of taking the “don’t sweat the small stuff” attitude, try sweating some of your small stuff for a while and watch the annoyances from your partner subside.

7. Sleep on it

Let’s face it. We are not getting enough sleep. When we are sleep-deprived, we overreact, make poor decisions, and have a hard time finding balance – all things that can lead to tensions in a relationship.

How many times have you overreacted when you are tired? When we are well-rested, we keep our emotions in check and think better on our feet. Sleep is one of our most underrated tools for living a happier life, so get more of it.

8. Be a good communicator

One of the most significant ways to be a better relationship partner is to grow in communication. You may think you’re a good communicator, but it may be time to learn how to be a better communicator if you do any of these three things.

Judging your partner- Assuming you know your partner’s motives, criticizing, or name-calling. These are all big no-nos to good communication.
Not paying attention-When your partner is talking to you, if you play with your phone or walk out of the room to get a cold drink, you’re showing your partner that you don’t care about what they’re telling you.
Unwanted advice-Don’t be the answer person. Hold your thoughts until your partner has finished talking.

9. Be a good listener

Listening means you listen with your eyes, ears, and body. Being a good listener says to your partner:

I am interested in what you’re saying to me
I’m not judging you
I understand how you feel
I want to know more

Four ways to improve your listening

Being a good listener will make you a good relationship partner. Little things mean a lot when you’re listening. Try to do these things, including:

Eliminate physical barriers like furniture-Stand or sit across or beside one another.
Avoid arm crossing-This shows disagreement or judgment.
Stay at eye level-If you’re in a conversation, don’t stand if your partner is sitting. Stay at eye level to show that you’re listening.
Don’t interrupt-Even if your partner says something untrue, don’t jump in to correct them. Wait until they’re finished, then speak.

10. Forgive without strings

It’s difficult to forgive your partner if they’ve hurt you. Forgiving is being willing to let go of what your partner did and seeking to bring peace. If you’re struggling to forgive, remember how many times other people have forgiven you. If you’ve been forgiven, you can forgive. An ancient text describes why forgiveness is so important.

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9 NLT)

Even if your partner seems to have moved on from the conversation, be sure to vocalize your forgiveness and let them know you love them. Be sure you offer your apologies for any contribution you made to the situation.

11. Be careful what you text

So many conversations today are via text, email, or social media. You must think carefully about how you phrase what you want to say. Ask yourself these questions

Is what I’m about to write kind? Rude?
Does this make my partner look bad?
Will this encourage or discourage my partner?
Is this true?
Why am I writing this? For attention? To get back at my partner?

The golden rule applies here, Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31 NIV) If you wouldn’t like it if your partner said what you’re saying on social media, then don’t say it about them.

12. Show gratitude

Be sure to express gratitude to your partner. Sharing gratitude improves feelings of positivity in your relationship. It makes your partner feel appreciated, which helps them feel more willing to talk about your relationship. Be sure to let your partner know these things:

How important they are to you
What you’re most grateful for in your relationship
Specific things they do that you’re thankful for

13. Be humble

Humility means you have a modest view of yourself. You’re not arrogant or prideful. You keep your ego in check and think of your partner first rather than yourself. It doesn’t mean you don’t have an opinion or self-worth, but you see others’ needs as significant to you. Humility will help you be a better relationship partner.

14. Show patience

Your partner isn’t perfect. They probably do things once in a while that drive you crazy. Perhaps they’re late all the time, or they aren’t good at putting their stuff put away. Showing them patience means you mention your frustration without getting angry or judging them. You can be patient because you know other people have been patient with you.

15. Show respect

Respecting your partner is a significant way to be a better relationship partner. Respect is not ignoring your partner’s feelings, wishes, or rights in your relationship.

16. Accept your relationship partner’s friends and family

Your partner’s family and friends are an extension of who they are. To be a good relationship partner, it’s vital that you accept these people. Attempt to get to know your partner’s siblings and parents. Don’t stay home when your partner goes out with friends. Be involved with them. This communicates volumes to your partner.

Final Thoughts on Improving Your Relationship and Becoming a Better Relationship Partner

If there’s a relationship that is important to you, then use a few items on this list to help make it better. How do you make your relationships better? Add to the discussion below or post a comment on Facebook.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

5 Ways to Instantly Feel More Confident

March 19, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Even people with the highest self-esteem can have moments of doubt and criticize themselves, but they usually don’t let these thoughts determine their overall view of themselves. However, highly sensitive and introverted people may have a more difficult time cultivating a confident feeling since they tend to hold other’s opinions in high regard and internalize their struggles.

No matter which group you fall into, you can use these tricks of the trade to quickly boost your confidence, even when you feel your lowest.

Here are 5 ways to look (and feel) more confident:

1. Put a smile on your face. 🙂

Even if you feel highly insecure at the moment, just notice how your mood changes by simply smiling at other people. Or, if you are alone, smile at yourself in the mirror. Smiling not only improves your mood instantly, but it also works magic in relieving stress, improving the immune system, makes you look younger and more attractive, and releases serotonin. Who knew smiling had so many benefits?

You can easily trick your brain with this powerful technique, because by smiling, you will start to feel better and even encourage others around you to smile, too. If you smile at life more, it will start providing you with even more reasons to be happy, so don’t forget to wear a smile today!

2. Hold your head up high wherever you go.

I’m sure you’ve heard to “keep your chin up” whenever you feel down about life, but this old saying actually holds water in increasing confidence levels. If you walk around with your head down and avoid making eye contact with people, you will naturally feel self-conscious and disconnected from everyone around you. To instantly increase your self-esteem, pick your head up and make eye contact with people.

Keeping your head down gives off the vibe that you want to hide yourself from others and feel uncomfortable talking to them; simply looking around at the world around you and engaging with it will help you feel more confident.

3. Visualize a more confident you in the future.

One easy way to boost self-confidence is to picture how you would look and feel by acting more assertive in situations where you normally feel out of place and uncomfortable. If you have a speech coming up in school and know that you normally stutter and turn red in front of a crowd, simply change your mode of thinking. You can alter the future by changing your thoughts now, so imagine yourself talking confidently and expressing yourself easily during your speech. The more you develop these types of thoughts in your head, the more you will see them come to life.

4. Go for a jog or bike ride.

Exercise doesn’t just benefit people physically; it also enhances the mind and spirit due to endorphins and other feel-good chemicals released every time you move your body. If you don’t like biking or jogging, do any other sort of activity that you can really get into and commit to doing on a regular basis. Once you start noticing the physical changes taking place, it will make you feel more confident in yourself because of the accomplishments you’ve made in transforming your mind, body, and soul.

Not to mention, learning new techniques and mastering the correct form in your exercise of choice will help you develop gratitude for your body’s incredible ability to adapt to new movements.

5. Get out of your head and into your heart.

If you fixate on yourself too long, you will start to create problems that probably weren’t even there in the first place. Instead of preoccupying yourself with all of your supposed shortcomings, develop compassion for yourself and realize that others probably struggle with some of the same insecurities as well. Remember that we came into this world full of nothing but love, so work on cultivating that feeling once again within yourself and learn to become your own best friend. Appreciate all of your unique personality traits, quirks, and habits, and cut yourself some slack.

Also, try to keep a fairly busy schedule so that you don’t have too much time to sit around and think; too much thinking can easily backfire if you have nothing else to occupy your time. Consider joining local classes or groups that reflect your interests, or just try something new to see how you like it. Being able to express yourself and connect with others who have similar interests will make you feel like part of a group and help you increase your confidence levels.

15 Mantras to End the Day Feeling Good Enough

March 19, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Before we go to sleep at night, many of us reflect on what happened during the day and wish we could have gotten more things done, eaten better, worked out, or asked our boss for a long-overdue raise. Whatever you did (or didn’t do) during your day, make it a habit to reinforce the following positive mantras before bed so you go to sleep feeling satisfied and excited for tomorrow.

15 Mantras to End the Day Feeling Good Enough

1. “I did the best I could today.”

No one can do everything perfectly; otherwise, you wouldn’t be human. Be proud of what you accomplished during your day, and know that you tried your hardest and put forth your best effort. Maybe others didn’t acknowledge your hard work, but at the end of the day, only your opinion of yourself matters anyway.

2. “I am worthy of love and abundance.”

Remind yourself that as a child of the universe, you deserve a fulfilling life overflowing with love and happiness. Even if the happenings of your day didn’t reflect this reality, say this mantra aloud or to yourself before bed each night, and you will slowly start to see more abundance flow into your life.

3. “I am confident in myself and know I can accomplish anything!”

All of us need a little boost in self-esteem every once in a while, and luckily, we can offer up a serving of self-assurance to ourselves any time we want! If you remind yourself of your own unlimited potential and implant this mantra into your consciousness, you will soon see the seeds of your thoughts bloom into action.

4 “I have everything I need to be happy.”

If you got through your day with food, water, shelter, family, and some sunshine, you have more wealth than most people do today. While a lot of us get caught up in trying to “become somebody,” remember that you already ARE somebody, and you likely have many blessings that you may overlook day-to-day. Keep this thought in your mind so you can feel content with life as it is right now.

5. “I love myself.”

Love yourself right now, no matter your job, location, weight, or accomplishments. You ARE worthy.

6. “I am thankful for my family and friends.”

Don’t forget to express gratitude not only for yourself but for everyone else in your life who loves and supports you. Maybe you don’t always get along with your closest friends and loved ones, but at the end of the day, they will stand by you when you need someone the most.

7. “I don’t need to compare myself to others; I’m on my own journey!”

Resist the temptation to compare your own path to other’s personal voyages; you will likely only feel jealous or inferior as a result. Remember that you can’t possibly measure your own worth by someone else’s accomplishments or status, because you belong in your own category. The universe brought you here for a reason, and that reason may look completely different than someone else’s.

8. “I see the beauty in everyone and everything around me.”

Before you close your eyes at night, think about all the positive aspects of the people in your life and your current environment. By doing this, you will remind yourself that you originate from the same place as everyone else, and therefore feel more connected and comforted throughout the day. Remember to also honor your own exquisiteness, because this largely determines how you perceive the reality around you.

9. “Everything in my life serves my highest good at this time.”

Whatever is happening in your life right now serves to expand your consciousness in one way or another. Whether you have just ended a tumultuous relationship or moved to a new, beautiful country, both will further illuminate your own unique path. Everything happens for a reason, so embrace the lessons and remember to relax and let the universe guide you.

10. “I’m a healthy, vibrant being of light.”

The first step to becoming healthier is imagining yourself as already healthy. If you can picture what you would look and feel like as a thriving, fit, strong person, you will enable yourself to attain this reality. Use the Law of Attraction to your advantage and consistently reinforce thoughts about what you do want rather than what you don’t want.

11. “I release everything that no longer serves me.”

As you drift off to sleep, gently expel negative thoughts from your mind that only bring you down; doing this over and over again each night will set the stage for a better sleep and a more positive outlook as you wake up in the morning.

12. “I am the master of my reality.”

We can easily forget that we are the conductors of our own lives – we direct the flow of energy in our lives based on our own thoughts. If you have felt out of control in your life lately, say this mantra to reassure yourself about your own inner power to create the reality you desire.

13. “I am enough.”

Don’t allow self-defeating thoughts to determine your outlook about yourself; instead, reinforce your self-worth with positive thoughts such as this one.

14. “I believe in myself.”

Recognize your own value, and never forget that you can accomplish anything you want in life. It all begins with having faith in your own abilities and putting in effort to do things that get you closer to yourself, not farther away.

15. “I am at peace.”

Even if you had a chaotic day, go within to find the stillness that always exists, even if you don’t always acknowledge it. Nothing outside of yourself can bring true peace, so rely on yourself any time you feel frazzled. Breathe in deeply, and welcome a good night’s sleep knowing all is well.

Do you use self-esteem mantras before bed? Share your own in the discussion below!

11 Things People in Healthy Relationships Do Differently

March 17, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Have you ever had a rocky relationship, but couldn’t figure out why things went sour in the first place?

Most everyone experiences obstacles in their relationships from time to time, but if it becomes a regular occurrence, this should raise some red flags. Constant arguing, distant behavior, forced communication, and drained energy are just some of the trademarks of unhealthy relationships.

If you have had relationships like these in the past, keep these pointers in mind to cultivate healthy, positive relationships in the future.

11 Things People in Healthy Relationships Do Differently

1. They always have each other’s backs.

People in healthy relationships don’t cut each other down or try to outshine one another. Every time either person reaches a long-awaited goal or expresses interest in trying a new career path, the other responds with unwavering support and encouragement. While they may discuss all the possibilities that the new venture might bring, they will still stand by their partner if he or she feels passionate about something. They don’t rain on each other’s parade – instead, they celebrate newfound desires and accomplishments and bring even more light into each other’s lives.

2. They make time for one another despite a hectic schedule.

If you live on planet Earth, you probably have a pretty full plate and try to take full advantage of any free time you have. Despite a packed schedule, people in healthy relationships dedicate some of their free time to going out on dates, having heart-to-heart talks, and just enjoying life together. People in destructive relationships may prioritize work or hang out with friends above their relationship, but if you really care about someone, you will make an effort to spend quality time with them.

Set aside a block of time each day that is not to be interrupted, regardless of what’s going on. You’ll be surprised that you can, in fact, fit this time in, and won’t lose your regular schedule.

3. They recognize the importance of self-love.

We live in a world of constant change, but this will always remain the same: You must love yourself if you want others to love you in return. Think of it like a cup overflowing with water, for example. If you have excess water, you can easily give it to others since you already have enough for yourself. If you have enough love in your heart for yourself, you can give away the extra love to others.

Your relationship with yourself determines your relationship with everyone else, and healthy relationships thrive off of people who have a lot of love within already.

4. They leave past relationships behind them.

They don’t carry the pain from past relationships into their current one – you can’t have a healthy relationship if you haven’t dealt with the hurt you’ve experienced before coming into a new relationship. Of course, you should ideally take lessons from your past relationships and apply them to future ones, but to move on, you need to release the pain and express gratitude for what you learned along the way.

5. Healthy relationships are built on a strong foundation of trust.

People in unhealthy relationships may become jealous or possessive of his or her partner if the trust isn’t established from the get-go. To have an open, loving relationship, both people need to be able to rely on one another for everything from helping each other get over a cold to sharing each other’s deepest secrets. Trust acts like the breath of life in a relationship, and if you don’t have it, you both will quickly run out steam. Healthy relationships require complete faith in one another in order to get through challenges and rejoice in the good times, too.

6. They make each other laugh often.

As the old adage goes, “laughing is the best medicine.” Laughing helps keep us sane in this crazy ride of life and also releases endorphins that make us feel happy and alive. The most successful relationships consist of two people who can make each other laugh even when everything seems to be falling apart around them. In fact, if they can remain lighthearted about drastic situations, that shows they can make it through anything together with smiles still lighting up one another’s lives.

7. They spend some of their time apart.

Obviously, healthy relationships need some time to breathe in order to keep the fire burning bright. If two people spend every waking moment together, they will tire of each other pretty quickly and tend to get under one another’s skin. People usually enjoy hanging out with friends or seeing family without their boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse tagging along every time, and this actually makes for a much healthier relationship. After all, people need time to nurture all relationships in their lives, and even the closest of partners understand that.

8. They lift each other up during hard times.

They never walk away when the going gets rough; people in healthy relationships weather the storm together and brainstorm solutions to any problem that stands in their way. No matter how tough things get, they stick around until it gets resolved and help to lessen the burden for the other person.

9. They teach each other new things about life.

Every relationship serves as an opportunity to teach you more about yourself and the universe, and people in healthy relationships can gain a wealth of knowledge from each other. Maybe one of you knows about sacred geometry, and the other has experience in more creative endeavors such as drawing or painting. People in healthy relationships open themselves up to learning new subjects and complement one another’s unique interests.

10. They make each other better people.

You can always tell when two people feel genuinely happy together because they seem at ease and have a certain glow about them. Something just clicks between the two of them, and they make each other feel like more of themselves, not less. They take each other to the next level, helping one another advance their personal evolution of consciousness.

11. They make life their own playground.

People in the healthiest relationships make time for having fun together, and don’t let the monotony of bills and responsibilities take the reins in the relationship. They plan fun outings together and try new things often, such as rock climbing, taking a painting class, or couple’s yoga. They bring out one another’s inner child and put enjoying life at the forefront of their relationship.

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