Happy Together: Keeping a Healthy Relationship

Do you often ask yourself if you're still happy with the relationship? Do you feel that the relationship is brining you down more that it's supposed to elate you?

What is a healthy relationship?
A healthy relationship should have the following qualities:

A relationship starts becoming unhealthy once it becomes mean, disrespectful, controlling and hurtful. Understanding you and your partner's differences, accepting them and working around those differences will make your relationship easier to handle.

· A sense of respect for each other. Your significant other should be able to give you the same respect he expects from you. Simply put, mutual respect in a relationship means that you value each other's differences and understand, not try to change the other person's personality.

What makes a relationship unhealthy?
A relationship starts becoming unhealthy once it becomes mean, disrespectful, controlling and hurtful. Some people are exposed to domestic violence and start bringing it over to the way they carry a relationship. A person who has grown up to watching emotional and physical abuse inside their homes will most likely think that it's normal in a relationship.

· Separate Identities. Both partners should still be able to maintain time for their own interest like when they started with the relationship.

Understanding you and your partner's differences, accepting them and working around those differences will make your relationship easier to handle. Keeping it healthy, will make you both flourish and grow not just as individuals, but as a couple.

Simply put, mutual respect in a relationship means that you value each other's differences and understand, not try to change the other person's personality.

Both partners should still be able to maintain time for their own interest like when they started with the relationship.

Your partner will not just need your support during problematic times. There are people who seem to just appear from nowhere to offer a helping hand when everything seems chaotic, but is nowhere to be found during happy times.

· Fairness. This means that you're not keeping count of how many times the other person has made the decision for the two of you as a couple, and you're not turning the decision making process into a power struggle as to who should get his way.

This should go hand in hand with trust as trust is based on how truthful your partner is to you. Once you've caught your partner in a major lie, you'll have doubts the next time he tells you where he's going or who he's going with.

Trust means knowing that your partner is faithful to you no matter how many tempting opportunities surround him. This is when you see your boyfriend talking to a new girl in his class and you 'd know deep inside that your partner loves you enough to not fool around. Acting on jealousy will only bring you down and will not be healthy for your relationship.

Acting on jealousy will only bring you down and will not be healthy for your relationship.

· Open communication. This means being able to express how you feel openly and honestly to your partner without fear of having your candidness misinterpreted. Having the sincerity to speak what's on your mind, provided you've thought it out thoroughly enough to know that what you say will be taken in a good, constructive way.

Spending Valentine's Day Outdoors-- How?

Bring your loved one to a romantic getaway and spend time with each other outdoors. Remember you can be more creative in spending Valentine's and going outdoors is one of the ways. If you happen to live in a portion of the country that is less likely to be frozen at winter time; a great way to spend Valentine's outdoors is through a mountain hike. Spend Valentine's Day with a loved one and at the same time get great exercise from it. No matter where you spend it, the most important thing is that you spend it with the one you love the most.

If you want to have something different this Valentines, here's a suggestion spend it outdoors. Bring your loved one to a romantic getaway and spend time with each other outdoors. Remember you can be more creative in spending Valentine's and going outdoors is one of the ways.

Moonlight date or under the night sky
Be it a snowshoe at night or a date via a winter hike, if it is done under the romantic moonbeams will surely be uber romantic. The ambient light effects have romantic impact and will surely make your Valentine's truly memorable.

Ski trip
There is no romantic way to enjoy the winter and have a great Valentine's Day but to have a great ski trip. Plan a few days and stay in the mountains complete with dinners and accommodations and may be some activities to make you relax a bit. It doesn't get more romantic than having a warm feeling amid the coldness of winter.

A mountain hike
If you happen to live in a portion of the country that is less likely to be frozen at winter time; a great way to spend Valentine's outdoors is through a mountain hike. Rent a log cabin and spend the night after a long day of trekking and nature tripping.

Bike ride down the mountains
Spend Valentine's Day with a loved one and at the same time get great exercise from it. Perfect for lovers that wants adventure and romance all in one day.

Go spelunking
Tour caves on Valentine's Day with a loved one. Surely you can find a great cave destination to satisfy your need for a great time of spelunking.
There are endless possibilities that await the couple that wishes to have an unusual Valentine's. No matter where you spend it, the most important thing is that you spend it with the one you love the most. Savor each moment that you spend with your loved one.