Aaahhhh! To be in love is a beautiful thing. When you’re in a healthy relationship, you hear birds singing, and life is grand. You have no worries and are always on top of the world. Okay, now that’s out of the way, let’s discuss the real deal.
It’s true being in a healthy, committed relationship can make you feel secure and happy at times. Still, anyone who has been involved in a genuine relationship will tell you that authentic relationships aren’t all roses and teddy bears.
True relationships often deal with their fair share of issues, but if you and your partner commit to each other, you can have a happy ending. Just note that this fairytale ending comes with hills and bumps along the way. However, here are 18 benefits of being in a long-lasting relationship.
1. It Makes You Feel Good Most of the Time
As previously stated, a genuine relationship is not all glitz and glamour. Even Sleeping Beauty had her share of issues. Just ask Maleficent. In the end, Cinderella still ended up with her Prince Charming. Even when you feel down, your partner is the first person you want to run to tell help pick you up.
2. Your Partner Supports You
We all have goals and aspirations, but it helps when your partner is there to help you achieve them as you are there to help them obtain theirs. Having a supportive girlfriend/boyfriend not only encourages you to pursue a passion, but they are also your biggest cheerleading. Seeing you happy makes them feel good, so they can pull you out of your rut if you get stuck.
3. Less Stress
Being in a healthy relationship doesn’t necessarily mean you have any less stress in life. It just means you have help in relieving that stress. Your partner is a buffer between you and life’s dramas, but if you become frustrated, they are the first one you want to call. When life gets tough, you won’t have to go it alone. Take a walk with your partner or watch a movie. Sometimes all it takes is a quick call from them, and you are back in your positive space again.
Other Fun Activities You Can Do With Your Significant Other
- Go to an amusement park
- Rollerskate
- Book clubs
- Go to the gym
- Volunteer
- Watch a sunset together
- Hiking/bike riding
- Watch a game together
- Stargazing
- Take a language course
- Miniature golf
- Cooking class
- A couple’s bucket list
- Treasure hunt
- Have a movie watch party
4. They Hold You Accountable
If you’re in a relationship, your partner does not want to see you continue making life mistakes, so they will hold you accountable. If they tell you you’ve done something wrong, you can refrain from doing it again. A true partner does not put up with any mess and will say when you have crossed the line. They’re there to influence you positively, so listen to their advice.
5. You’re a Better Person Because of Them
Since dating them, you are a kinder, more positive person. For example, before you met them, maybe you partied, hung out, and were more self-centered. Now you’re more of a homebody and volunteer your time. You’ve learned to appreciate your family more and are more giving to your friends. Maybe your partner encouraged you to enroll back in school or to ask for a raise. They have your best interest at heart and want to help you succeed in life.
6. It Teaches You How to Keep an Open Mind
You will never agree all the time (although it would be nice), so you must be open-minded about your partner’s views. Not only must you keep an open mind, but you should also respect his values even if you disagree with them. They don’t try to force their views on you, so why should you on them?
For example:
if your partner is a vegan and you just ate a triple burger with extra cheese, don’t ridicule your partner for their choices. Be supportive.
In this case, you can even surprise them with a homemade vegan meal or take them to their favorite vegan restaurant. It’s not going to kill you to eat an avocado salad every once in a while. Keeping an open mind helps the relationship run much smoother.
7. Planning for Your Future
Remember being young and wondering who your spouse would be and how many kids you would have? Well, at least now you know the who. The fun part is now planning together.
- What kind of wedding do you want?
- What are your combined family goals?
- How many children do you want?
- Where do you plan to live?
You can begin planning all those things when you’re in a committed relationship. If you and your partner are at that stage, you can start realizing your future by saving money together for your wedding.
8. You Have a Built-in Wellness Nurse
A practical benefit of a relationship is having someone who will look after you when you’re sick. Sure, it’s not mom, but if mom’s busy, your partner can bring you soup and rub your aching feet. In addition, they’ll be there to adjust your pillow or walk your dog if needed. They will be there to pick up the slack until you can get back onto your feet.
You also have a special someone to look after your well-being. They offer to bring you food or to cook if you haven’t eaten. They’re the ones who ask you to call when you get home to make sure you make it back safely. If you’re sick and can’t pick up your medication, they’ll head to the pharmacy and make sure you are well taken care of. Short on cash this month? If they have it, they’ll give it. But, of course, you would do all this and more for them.
9. You Strive to Be Healthier
If you have started planning for your future, one goal should be to get healthy to avoid future sickness so you can have a long-lasting life together. When deciding to get fit, you’ll make better food choices and be eager to work out. If you’re the gym rat of the relationship, your partner may be more inclined to join you.
You could take plant-based cooking classes together and spend more time doing activities like hiking, jogging, and playing golf. Once you make up your mind to become healthier, you can also forego, or cut back on, things like drinking and smoking.
10. You Discover More about Yourself as an Individual
Being single is one thing, but when you become part of a couple, you must exercise more tolerance for another person’s habits. You see that you can co-habitat with another without pulling your hair out, even though sometimes you want to. You become more patient when dealing with someone else because you realize it’s not all about you anymore.
11. Sharing of Memories
When you do things on your own, it tends to be not as memorable as if you do them with someone else. However, in a relationship, boring stuff like going to the supermarket can be fun with your partner. Do you ever relive an inside joke with your partner and just laugh together? Those are the special moments that memories are made of.
12. Your Social Circle Increases
Not only do you have your family and friends, but you have also inherited your partner’s. As a result, you have more choices regarding where to spend the holidays. You have more options for summer vacations, too. Will you spend your vacation in Jamaica with his family, or will you visit The Hamptons with yours? Hey, why not both?
13. A Longer Life
Studies indicate that a healthy relationship can help extend your life. When in a relationship, you tend to socialize more. If you are depressed, your significant other can help you cheer up instead of being alone in your room and wallowing in self-pity. If you are a happier person, your health improves also.
14. Fewer Risks of STDs
If you are in a committed relationship, you reduce your risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease because you aren’t out there sleeping with other people. *This is only valid if you are in a committed monogamous relationship.
15. Higher Self-Esteem
Sometimes being “on the market” in the dating world can be a blow to your self-esteem. Remember going to social events, not meeting one person, and then going home feeling dejected and like a failure? It didn’t happen all the time, but those times it did were a crush on your ego.
In a relationship, you have that one person to come home and snuggle with. They are the one to tell you how special you are when you don’t feel it. They reassure you when you’re feeling down.
16. Feeling Appreciated
Someone you just met usually can’t validate you in the way your long-term significant other can. We may feel unappreciated at school or at home, but our partner is there to tell us otherwise, which can help increase our self-esteem.
7 Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Significant Other
- Tell them often
- Prepare a special meal
- Proudly brag about what your partner does for you
- Buy them a special gift of appreciation
- Place a thoughtful note where they can easily find it
- Take them on a romantic surprise date
- Be a giver rather than a taker in the relationship
17. You Have a Best Friend for Life
This person will be there for you in sickness, when you’re down, and when you are happy. They will be who you share your most intimate moments with. And you don’t have to worry about them sharing all your secrets because they know how much that would hurt you.
18. You Become More Humble
Dealing with another person, you will definitely have disagreements. One of the secrets to a long-lasting healthy relationship is to humble yourself. You must learn to become more forgiving and realize that sorry can go a long way when you are wrong. You know how to deal with conflict while teaching your partner the same. After all, you’re no saint either.
A relationship is something that most people experience in their lifetime, but having a healthy, long-lasting, genuine connection is something more challenging to come by. If you find that one person who is a best friend and an uplifter, congratulations! You have hit the relationship jackpot.
