We’ve all heard of red flags in relationships. We’ve even denied second dates because of the warning signs we saw on the first one. Today we will unpack the less talked about but equally important. The green flags.
Here are signs that you are either in a healthy or you will have an emotionally fulfilling relationship, with the person you are dating.
They have a good sense of humour
You don’t have to be Trevor Noah to make your partner laugh. Humour can be found in everyday moments that you share with your person. From playing games to cooking together. A partner that can laugh at themselves? Jackpot! Without this key ingredient, a relationship is likely to die a slow painful humourless death.
They have an optimistic outlook on life
Imagine dating a Debbie Downer, whose skin shrivels at everything remotely positive. Not fun. Dating someone with a positive outlook on life can be extremely rewarding, not to mention that it might also rub off on you.
They take good care of themselves
A partner that takes care of themselves is extremely attractive. Hello, 5 am team! We see you! We’re here for singletons that pay attention to what they ingest, from the food they eat to the content they consume. Self-development is fetching.
They are not overly concerned about virtual life
Once I went on a date with a guy who checked all my highly unrealistic boxes of an ideal partner. He was a slice of heaven and I felt the gods of love were smiling down on me. My crush took me to a fancy restaurant for our first date. He spent the evening on social media chatting to everyone but me. Occasionally, he would abandon his cyber bubble to pretend to be interested in me. But as soon as a notification came in, he would disappear into his little bubble again. As the evening progressed, he became less and less attractive.
They fight fair
Forget what you heard, but the most attractive human in the world is one who can control their emotions. They don’t get violent. They don’t give ultimatums. They don’t throw tantrums.
They have friendships they have sustained for years
Friends are the family we choose. Having close friends is joyous. They can be a great support system. To me, someone who can maintain healthy friendships is someone who has sound communication and conflict resolution skills.
They don’t play mind games
This person never makes you doubt your place in their lives. They’re like an open book. They have no hidden agendas. They’re not jumpy when you touch their phones. You often get the feeling that they have both feet in the relationship.
They genuinely care about your well-being
You can miss me with your, “baby when are you going to cook for me?” That time this person has never even fried an egg for you.
“Baby, can you come over?” In comes a text from the spawn of Satan himself three minutes before witching hours. A person who is serious about dating you will text you at decent hours. They will not make you feel like you’re a booty call or treat you like Cody the Cook.
Last but certainly not least
A great potential partner always has their relationship antenna on. They pay attention to the little things that bring you immense joy.
They speak highly of you in your absence. You can always tell by the way their friends treat you, there’s a level of respect they give you. And by this, I don’t mean the phoney: what have you done to my friend, they can’t stop speaking about you? We know those people, right? The ones that spew the same vitriol to every man or woman you bring into the circle whether the relationship is serious or not.
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If you liked this, read some tips on how to keep the romance alive in your relationship here
Tell us: What are your green flags in relationships?