 Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Before we start, we would like to thank you all for the support you've given us. You're helping us in Psych2Go's mission to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. Thanks again. Now, back to the video. Do you like rom-coms, k-dramas, and teen romance novels? The media we consume sets a high standard for our dating life, and it can be easy to feel disappointed or discouraged if you feel that you aren't achieving those high standards in romance. In reality, relationships aren't perfect. They're frustrating at times and require work, effort, and patience, and understanding from both sides. And there are many common mindsets, behaviors, and habits of truly healthy relationships that the movies simply don't show. So whether you're wanting to improve your current relationship, or are single and wanting to know how healthy relationships work, here are nine signs of a successful relationship. Number one, you're committed to giving your time, energy, and care to your partner. The word commitment might have you thinking of wedding bells or meeting the parents. Don't let that scare you off. To put it simply, every long-lasting relationship starts with a basic commitment to give your partner your time, energy, and care. You want your partner to care deeply about you and spend their time and energy on you, so you do the same for them. Number two, you recognize the importance of self-care. How much do you value self-care? Are you aware of what your emotional needs are? Learning about your own emotional needs makes you better able to determine how to balance them with another person's needs. It will also help you recognize when you need some time to prioritize and take care of yourself. Number three, you have a sense of purpose separate from your relationship. Do you have your own goals, hobbies, and interests outside of your relationship? This makes you a more balanced and well-rounded person. It also keeps you from fixating and obsessing over your partner and your relationship too much, which can be a problem for new relationships. By having that sense of purpose outside of your partner, you keep those toxic traits at bay and lead a more successful relationship and fulfilling life as well. Number four, you and your partner are vulnerable and transparent with each other. When you're open and vulnerable with your partner, it helps build your emotional connection and understanding of each other. If being vulnerable is hard for you, you go slow and build a trust in your partner first until you're ready to be more open with them. After all, in a successful relationship, both partners are open and honest with their feelings to foster compassion, comfort, and intimacy. Number five, you share responsibility in your relationship. Do you strive for a proper balance between the two of you when making compromises? Do you and your partner take responsibility for your actions? When things go wrong, it can be easy to blame other factors such as the weather or circumstances or another person, and you can get wrapped up in the blame game. It can be hard to admit when you're the one at fault. However, you know that learning and practicing how to manage your differences is a key part of your relationship that both of you are responsible for. You're aware that trying to make something one person's fault will only frustrate and upset both of you without solving anything. So, by admitting shared fault and responsibility and focusing on improvement, two people meet in the middle and it saves you both half the trip. After all, as iconic as Ross's, we were on a break line from friends' is, having a heated debate about who's at fault will ultimately solve nothing. Number six, you have equality with your partner. Do you and your partner respect each other? Does it feel like both of your voices are heard and that there's an equal power dynamic? Both of you treat each other with patience, empathy, support, generosity, and forgiveness. In a successful relationship, one's needs do not dominate over the other. For example, you don't have to completely change yourself just to be with someone. And if someone expects you to, they're clearly not right for you. Finding someone who treats you as an equal in your relationship is exactly what you deserve. Number seven, you actively listen to each other without interrupting, judging, or correcting. When you get into an argument, do you and your partner listen to what the other person is saying and respond kindly? Or do both of you interrupt each other and only focus on trying to get your point across? Interrupting that makes it difficult for them to fully express their thoughts. When you do this, it makes it seem like you're just waiting for them to stop talking so you can speak your mind. You aren't truly listening and considering their viewpoint, which will only make you both more frustrated and the situation will escalate. When you're in a successful relationship, you listen to your partner fully before responding or judging prematurely, just like how you'd want them to treat you. Number eight, you both are willing to seek outside help when needed. While you and your partner may be a dynamic duo, there may come a point in your relationship where you two need outside help, and that's okay. Despite the stigma surrounding couples therapy as something shameful or a sign that you're not able to make your relationship work, needing outside help is a very normal thing. Seeking outside help means you're both committed and willing to try everything to work things out, and that's a good sign of dedication. And number nine, you have an easy sense of humor, playfulness, and fun between each other. Do you two have a list of inside jokes? Do you have a similar sense of humor? A relationship shouldn't always feel like a task on your never-ending-to-do list. Making each other laugh and having fun are some of the best parts of being in a successful relationship. It's something you genuinely enjoy being a part of. So, did you recognize any of these signs in your romantic relationship? Or if you're single, do you think knowing about these signs will help you in your next relationship? Leave a comment down below with your thoughts. Please like and share this video if it helped you, and you think it could help someone else too. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and notification bell icon to get notified whenever we post more Psych2Go videos. Thank you for watching, and we'll see you next time.