 Hey there Psych2Goers, before we begin, once again we'd like to thank you for your ongoing love and support. Psych2Go's mission is to make psychology and mental health knowledge more accessible to everyone, and you've helped us so much along the way. We really appreciate you all. So what set of expectations do you have from a romantic relationship? From funny and intelligent, kind and compassionate, to fun and confident, we all have different ideas about the traits we want in our ideal partner. No matter what your type or preference may be, there are some things that are essential to fostering a close and meaningful relationship. Here are eight things people want from a relationship. 1. Respect We all want to feel respected by the people we love because it means that they value us, appreciate our efforts, and take our feelings into consideration. They don't overstep your boundaries or intentionally cause you pain, and they won't demand more from you than you're willing to give. They respect your time, perspective, decisions, and most of all, your differences. 2. Honesty Do you want someone who is open and forthcoming with you about their thoughts, feelings and intentions no matter how painful or difficult it might be? Every healthy and loving relationship needs honesty from both sides in order to grow. No one wants to be kept in the dark or have to always guess what their significant other wants or means. A lack of honesty and open communication breeds conflict, mistrust, and misunderstanding, where there should be love, trust, and understanding. 3. Compromise Do you shy away when conflicts arise? Or do you willingly solve it together with your partner? Well, as much as we want to be with someone who agrees with us about everything, it just isn't realistic. In order to make a relationship work, you and your partner have to be willing to work through difficulties together and come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Or excitement. Every relationship needs a bit of excitement to keep the spark alive, no matter how much time has passed. Once the thrill of abutting romance fades, you want to be with someone who shares the same sense of humor as you, who has a similar taste for adventure and openness to experience. For a lot of us, we seek relationships with people who are fun to spend time with, who make even the most mundane activities feel new and exciting. 5. Encouragement Do you feel like you're not ready to settle down? Are you worried that your relationship will hold you back from doing the things you want and achieving your goals? If so, it's no surprise you look for partners who are generous with their encouragement and support, instead of standing in the way of your hopes and dreams. You want someone you can count on to support you through everything, ensure you want no matter what happens. Someone who only has your best interests at heart. 6. Affection Everyone expresses their love in different ways, whether it's by spending quality time together, buying thoughtful gifts, writing love letters or simply giving them a kiss and a hug. We all want our acts of affection to be reciprocated by those we love. Sharing affection in our relationship is what gives us the feeling of emotional fulfillment and satisfaction, and without it, we won't feel as close or connected to our partners. 7. Emotional intimacy Aside from physical affection, people also crave emotional intimacy in their relationships. Defined as the feeling of closeness to another individual that develops over time, emotional intimacy is what allows us to be vulnerable with the people we love and feel more connected with them because of it. When we become emotionally intimate with someone, it means that they understand us and accept us for who we really are. It's regarded as the highest form of trust we can grant anyone, and it's something most of us can only get from close, meaningful relationships. 8. Dedication You crave commitment and loyalty. Are you the happiest when you're with someone you know you can always depend on? One thing we all expect from our relationships is dedication. We want to know that no matter what challenges we might face, our partner will always be there for us, because with dedication comes compassion, understanding, empathy, and forgiveness. And when you have someone by your side who's always going to be there for you, no problems will ever seem too scary or too overwhelming for you to face, because you know that you don't have to go through it alone. Do you relate to any of the points we've mentioned here? What else do you want from your relationship? Leave your comments down below, we'd love to read them. Remember, you have the right to expect honesty, trust, loyalty, and dedication in a relationship. The clearer you and your significant other are with each other, the happier you'll be. If you enjoyed our video and found it insightful, please like and share it. Feel free to subscribe to Psych2Go and turn on the notification bell for more content. We'll see you in the next video. Thanks for watching.