18 Things That Are Important In a Relationship

While every relationship is unique, it’s inevitable that each will face conflict. That being said, there are certain things you and your partner can do to create a solid relationship—whether you’re in a long-term relationship, recently engaged, or already married and enjoying life as newlyweds.

To help you achieve a happy relationship built on trust, loyalty, and commitment, we tapped Lesli Doares, marriage coach and author of Blueprints for a Lasting Marriage to explain what traits take couples the distance. Here’s the relationship advice she had to share:

1. Honesty

If you want to build a healthy, loving relationship, it’s paramount to be honest with both yourself and your partner, says Doares. While this may sound like common sense, it’s not unheard of for someone in a relationship to avoid little details or hide certain opinions in an attempt to avoid conflict.

This is especially common early on in a relationship. And although you could be doing so with good intentions—whether you’re aware of it or not—being dishonest with or withholding information from your partner will inevitably cause issues. “You’ll be presenting a false self to [them]. This will either lead to feelings of betrayal and disappointment if you don’t follow through or feelings of resentment if you do, but don’t really want to,” Doares explains. You want to build a relationship where you not only trust one another, but also feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and being your true selves.

2. Good Boundaries

Setting clear boundaries early on in your relationship, as well as discussing them occasionally, is also crucial to a relationship’s foundation. This covers both how you want to be treated—as well as how you want your relationship to be treated. “You have to know what is and isn’t acceptable to you and be able to enforce those boundaries in a healthy way. You teach people how to treat you, but if you accept inappropriate behavior, you won’t feel safe or respected,” says Doares. “Boundaries also allow you to hold on to who you are while you’re part of a relationship. They allow you to create the independence that is the hallmark of a healthy relationship.”

It’s also important to note that your boundaries—as well as your partner’s—can shift and change throughout your relationship. Just be sure to communicate these changes with each other (refer back to that honesty point above).

3. Good Communication

One of the strongest pillars of a good relationship is effective communication. What does that mean exactly? You and your partner should be willing to be honest, transparent, and open with one another. You should also allow each other to express how you’re feeling without jumping to defensiveness.

That doesn’t mean you’ll never encounter conflict, though. Since these moments are inevitable, the more important aspect is being able to talk about and work through those situations. “Knowing how to talk about tough stuff is a skill,” Doares notes. “Being able to handle disagreements and differences in a productive way is what will keep your love alive.”

4. Respect

You and your partner should always, without fail, treat each other with respect. When there’s respect in your relationship, you recognize each other’s unique wants, needs, feelings, and boundaries, and don’t use controlling or manipulative behavior.

“The biggest challenge to a good relationship is recognizing and accepting that you are two different people,” says Doares. “Trying to ‘change’ each other is disrespectful. It’s always okay to ask for a different behavior, but not a different personality. Making room for the differences and being willing to learn from them is the real benefit of a relationship.”

A relationship ultimately won’t work out if you don’t regard each other as individuals. On the other hand, if you have respect for one another and acknowledge your differences, you’ll be able to learn and grow together.

5. Intentional Love

Perhaps most importantly, you must actively love each other. “Love is a verb. Acting in a loving way that shows you actually like and value your partner is critical,” says Doares.

This doesn’t mean you’re always going to like what they’re doing. (No couple has compatibility all the time.) What it does mean, though: No matter what, you treat your partner with honesty, respect, and put an effort towards good communication. (See how it’s all coming together?)

You can also show your partner intentional love by being interested, showing empathy, and performing small acts of kindness. When you show appreciation and care for one another and are truly happy, you’re more willing to make things work.

More Important Things for Relationships

There are a number of other elements you need in order to make a relationship work, including:

6. Spending time together

You can't build a strong relationship—even if it’s with the perfect person—without investing time in it. So, one of the most important things in a relationship? Spending time together.

In order for your relationship to thrive, you and your partner need to want to spend time together—and not just any time, but quality time. Make time for date nights, long conversations, and experiencing new things with your partner.

7. Being supportive

You and your partner are a team—and teammates support each other. The healthiest relationships are the ones where each person loves and supports the other, whether they're celebrating a win (like a promotion at work) or going through a tough time (like the loss of a family member).

8. Being willing to forgive

No one is perfect—and that includes you and your partner. In order for a relationship to succeed, both people need to be willing to forgive the other person when they make a mistake, say something hurtful, or otherwise fall short of their potential as a partner.

9. Commitment

Even the best relationships require effort. And in order for a relationship to work, both partners need to be committed to putting forth the necessary effort. While the level of commitment will depend on the length and seriousness of the relationships, all romantic relationships require at least some commitment; otherwise, it's too easy to walk if and when things get challenging.

10. Having a healthy sense of separation

You're part of a couple—but you're also your own person. Maintaining a healthy sense of separation (for example, by continuing to pursue your own hobbies and maintain friendships) will ensure that you and your partner continue to grow as individuals—and is a must for mental health and well-being.

11. Acceptance

As mentioned, no one is perfect—and, chances are, there are going to be things about your partner that get under your skin, especially as the relationship progresses. But accepting your partner for exactly who they are—including their flaws and all the little things that annoy you—is a must if you want your relationship to succeed in the long-term.

12. Loyalty

If you want to build trust in a long-term relationship, loyalty is a must. Now, loyalty can mean different things for different couples; the key is to remain loyal to the relationship parameters that you and your partner have agreed on, whether that's complete monogamy or a more open relationship.

13. A willingness to compromise

There are two people in every relationship. And while you might prefer to do things your own way, if you want a healthy, happy relationship, you need to be willing to compromise and meet your partner in the middle (and vice versa).

14. The ability to let things go

All lasting relationships will encounter arguments, disagreements, and conflict at some point. But holding on to those conflicts (and the hurt feelings they may have caused) after they've been resolved can weaken the bond between you and your partner. So, if you want to keep your relationship moving forward (and avoid a break up), you need to be willing to work through conflicts with your partner—and then let them go.

15. Not just loving each other, but liking each other

Loving your partner is important. But liking them is equally important. In a healthy, happy relationship, you should genuinely like your partner as a person—and they should feel the same way about you.

16. Showing respect for each other

As mentioned, mutual respect is a key part of a healthy relationship. But having respect for your significant other isn’t enough; if you want to build a strong relationship, you need to actually show that respect. That includes respecting their time, space, and needs, both in the relationship and as an individual.

17. Teamwork

In a healthy, committed relationship, both partners look at each other as teammates. No matter what you face or go through, you face or go through it as a team.

18. Being emotionally available

If you want to build a healthy partnership, you need to be there for your partner and open and willing to address issues, work through things, and grow together. Or, in other words, you need to be emotionally available if and when they need you.

Unhealthy Relationship Habits

Now that you know the elements of healthy relationships, let's take a look at a few red flags that indicate a relationship is not healthy:

• Disrespect. In a healthy relationship, you feel respected by your partner—and your partner feels respected by you. If that respect doesn't exist—or worse, you feel actively disrespected by your partner (for example, they speak down to you or repeatedly stand you up for dates)—a healthy relationship just isn't possible.
• Controlling behavior. It doesn't matter how long you've been in a relationship; you are your own person—and, as such, are in control of yourself and your life. If your partner tries to control you in any way (for example, by dictating the clothing you wear, the people you talk to, what job you have, or how you spend your time or money), it's not just a sign your relationship is unhealthy; it's a sign you may be in an abusive relationship.
• Stonewalling. Healthy relationships require active and open communication. If your partner regularly refuses to communicate or gives you the silent treatment after an argument, consider it a major red flag.

Sharing these values with your partner isn’t a guarantee that things will always run smoothly or work out. They are, however, wonderful tools when it comes to facing conflict, showing your partner appreciation, and working towards a successful relationship.