7 Reassuring Signs A New Relationship Is Going Well
Don't waste your time with doubts.
Jacob Lund / CanvaPro During the honeymoon phase with a new partner, it can be easy to ignore red flags. It's only down the road, when the relationship is on its last leg, that we rewind, analyzing all the arguments and situations that led to its demise.
However, it’s just as easy to overlook green flags and sabotage perfectly healthy relationships out of fear, anxiety, or previous trauma.
Thankfully, there are several signs the Mostly Balanced podcast shared on Instagram that can help you decipher whether your new relationship is set up for success or failure.
Here are 7 reassuring signs a new relationship is going well.
1. 'You feel comfortable being yourself around them.'
Psychologist Kayla Steele told Refinery 29 that comfort is “necessary” to develop strong healthy relationships.
“To be comfortable in a relationship suggests that you have developed a level of attachment security, which is essential for your physical and emotional wellbeing,” Steele explained.
Photo: Antoni Shkraba / Canva Pro
Comfort manifests in a variety of ways, especially in new relationships, from increased vulnerability to feeling sleepy in their presence. When people make you feel safe and loved, it opens up new emotions that often lead to a strong and honest foundation.
2. 'You don’t feel anxious when you’re together or in between dates.'
We all get butterflies, especially in new relationships, but what happens when they start to dull? The more you see each other and bond, the less anxious you become allowing you to open up in ways that you might’ve previously found difficult.
The slight fear and anxiety during the first few dates start to go away — at least in a healthy relationship — and we grow more comfortable and confident. That’s not a bad thing, despite discourse about boring relationships and the need for excitement. Anxiety doesn’t have to be the exciting part of your new relationship, of course, it might be all you know if you haven’t had a healthy partnership before.
“There’s a difference between a peaceful relationship and a boring relationship,” podcaster and TikTok creator @bran_flakezz explained. “You can be in a healthy relationship and still feel excited… if you're feeling bored that’s a different story.”
3. 'You have healthy communication.'
Vulnerability can take many forms in a new relationship, especially between two different partners. Marriage therapist Saba Harouni Lurie generally categorizes it as “sharing all parts of yourself with your partner,” without fear of criticism or judgment.
It can be scary to open up, but if you find it easier than normal to do with a partner, it’s likely a sign that they’ll be around for the long haul. The more they know about you and the more honest you can be with each other, the better the foundation for your future relationship.
4. Things don’t feel forced and are naturally progressing.
So many of us approach relationships with a preconceived fear. However, taking a step back and letting things happen naturally can actually be more efficient in weeding out partners and it's certainly more healthy for you.
Mihailomilovanovic / CanvaPro
If you’re spending less time worrying about the relationship, the next date, or what your partner is doing when they’re not with you, you have more time to focus on yourself. If you’re not irrationally worrying about them all the time, the truth is you’re probably in a healthy partnership.
5. Both of you initiate plans and start conversations.
For many people, relationships end because of a disconnect between partners. When you stop responding, putting in effort, and planning dates, things start fizzling.
“Dating is about reciprocity,” dating coach Sabrina Zohar shared. “There are going to be a lot of people, especially emotionally unavailable people, that will not initiate things but they will receive them… Distance creates desire. Step back and let the other person take the reins.”
If you’re feeling a healthy balance between your partner and yourself — whether it be in communication, making plans, or initiating intimate moments — chances are you’re in a healthy relationship. The longer you can prioritize this kind of partnership, the longer your relationship will last.
6. 'You prioritize your time together while keeping up with your own lives.'
While a new relationship might seem like the center of your universe, it shouldn’t be your entire life. Couples that are able to spend quality time together and still maintain other healthy friendships, work lives, or family connections will be the most sustainable over time.
So, if you find yourself needing to be around your partner all the time to feel secure, you might want to give its longevity a second thought. You should never feel dependent on your partner or vice versa if you want a healthy connection.
7. 'There’s a mutual attraction.'
Of course, attraction is important on a variety of levels.
Photo: Jacob Lund / Canva Pro
While physicality might be the most superficial aspect of attraction, feeling desired is a foundational aspect of healthy relationships. Along with that, greater intimacy and physical connection tend to bolster healthier emotional ones down the road.
Give yourself and your new relationship a chance to thrive.
It's inevitable. No matter what we do, we will always carry the lessons and the doubt ingrained from past relationship failures into our new partnerships. But it's important to leave that skepticism out of your time together.
To truly give new love a shot, be open and honest about what you want and who you are. And of course, keep these 7 seven signs in mind too!
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture analysis and human interest stories.