Relationships are one of the most important parts of our lives. They can help us feel connected, fulfilled, and happy, but they also come with a lot of challenges.
People form relationships in many ways, including romantic and nonromantic connections with friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, and more. Some people have a very difficult time maintaining healthy relationships, while others find that they can thrive in a variety of different types of relationships.
While the need for human connection appears to be innate, research suggests that the ability to form relationships starts in early childhood. Early experiences with caregivers who reliably meet a baby’s needs for care, attention, warmth, and stimulation are believed to set deeply ingrained patterns of relating.
In a relationship, the partners often develop feelings of affection, trust, and intimacy, and these tend to deepen as the relationship matures. A healthy relationship is not perfect; disagreements and conflict are inevitable, but unless there are severe problems such as infidelity, abuse or addictions, couples who remain committed to working through difficulties can usually build stronger bonds over time.
A healthy, supportive relationship allows each partner to maintain their own identities and interests while sharing some of their goals and perspective with their significant other. In an ideal relationship, each person is willing to learn from their own mistakes as well as the missteps of their partner, and both strive to become better people every day. This kind of relationship can be a source of tremendous happiness and meaning in life, but it must be a conscious choice, not a default setting.