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The meanings of the word “relationship” are widely varied and definitely not easy to pin down. Applicable to basically any two discrete units that are in some kind of a relation, or connection, we could say that this broad terminology is too abstract to discuss.

However, if you ask any person how they feel about relationships and whether they’re important or not, they will know immediately what you’re inquiring about and give you a definite answer. Why is that the case? The reason is quite simple – modern society has determined that the word “relationship” refers to love life and having a romantic partner.

The rules of being in a relationship and the expectations of it are largely decided upon by people engaging in such a social endeavor. Whether you’re in it for the fun and to play the game of getting to know another individual or actually testing another person against the parameters of what you consider to be a lifelong partner, it’s always best to find a partner who shares your vision.

Having established that relationships are most commonly associated with love life and romances, it can be said that the proper name of this concept should be “intimate relationship.” This term encompasses both sexual and non-sexual relationships, where there’s either physical or emotional intimacy (or both). The latter involves either liking or loving somebody, regardless of whether it can grow into physical intimacy or not. Emotional intimacy can exist on the purely non-sexual axis, in which case it’s oriented towards family members and friends.

Regardless of what kind of relationship an individual maintains with another person, there are different stages to it and goals to be achieved. Much like with everything else in life, there are pitfalls to be avoided, lest the relationship become a toxic cesspool, hindering the growth of individuals that comprise it.

Relationship Goals

Types of Relationships

Stages of Relationship

Toxic Relationships

The Concept of Relationship

Relationship Goals

In short, relationship goals are aspirations, outcomes, ideas, or experiences shared by the individuals comprising a relationship. They are mutual objectives that give the relationship a future. They are successes that reinforce and strengthen the existing bond between two people. Two people laughing in bed

Just like in every other human pursuit, creating an arbitrary goal gives people something to fight for and a reason to keep going. However, this is why it’s so important to establish tangible, attainable, and realistic goals - it must possible for a person to achieve a life (or a relationship) goal, otherwise, it’s just wishful thinking.

The same goes for relationship goals - they should be reachable milestones that can serve as a monument to the couple’s perseverance and willingness to grow and become wiser. Unattainable ideals are usually not the proper goals to set as they can rarely provide the relationship with meaningfulness and might halt the progress of each individual engaged in such a relationship.

So, what are relationship goals really? Talking about them in too much of an abstract manner can obscure the very simple meaning beneath. They are, in fact, guidelines that people should abide by in order to have a meaningful relationship, the kind of which can serve as a source of inspiration for others. Guidelines are set by the people involved, and nobody else, and they’re there to show how to really give love and provide the significant other with appreciation and care that they need.

In the sense of being an achievable milestone, we can think of having children as a relationship goal that many aspire to. It also showcases the importance of two people having the same goal, as such an important question can often lead to a divide. This is an example of a more serious and ubiquitous question relating to the goals, but the objectives might be a bit simpler and still inspirational at the same time. Consider the old “in sickness, and in health” wedding vows adage - it shows the goal of staying strong and mentally present in the relationship, no matter how good or bad it is.

Types of Relationships

As intimate relationships are constantly the subject of many discussions and the everlasting source of interesting discussions, experiences, and topics, there are the relationships that we’ll focus the most from now on.

Regardless of what kind of relationship we’re discussing, they can all be further divided into various types, and romantic relationships definitely have the most of these. Different people have different expectations of what relationships are and what they can bring to their love life. While some seek more deeply-rooted, traditional approaches to relationships, others are more inclined towards types of relationships that aren’t as exclusive or limiting.

Just like there are numerous understandings of what a relationship is, there is also a multitude of intimate relationship types. However, they’re most easily separated into the following: monogamous relationships, polyamorous relationships, casual sex relationships, asexual relationships, and open relationships. We’ll go over the three most common approaches:

Monogamous Relationships

The most traditional of all approaches, monogamous relationships allow for only one other romantic partner at the time. That’s why it can be referred to as the dyad.

Polyamorous Relationships

There is no limit to how many sexual or romantic partners a person can have in this type of relationship. Some people look at all the partners in this relationship equally, while some prefer one partner to another.

Casual Sex Relationships

Two people may agree to partake in casual sex, meaning they’ll be trying to avoid any emotional connection among each other while being able to enjoy intimacy.

Signs of a Healthy Relationship

A healthy relationship is the one where romantic partners are still able to grow, not just as a couple, but also as individuals. This term comes as a polar opposite of toxic relationships, which are riddled with negativity, dishonesty, and in extreme cases - physical or emotional abuse.

It’s not difficult to tell the two apart from one another, as a healthy relationship is the one where both individuals get to flourish, grow, and be the best version of themselves. How can you tell if your relationship is healthy?

First of all, there is an undeniable trust between the people in the relationship. Being able to fully trust your partner and avoid any unnecessary seeds of doubt is already a telltale sign in itself that your relationship is a loyal and honest one.

Secondly, being able to expose your vulnerabilities is yet another example of a committed relationship with two people who know they can rely on one another. It is only with utmost trust that people reveal who they truly are, and not get mocked or ridiculed for it.

Naturally, many wondrous signs manifest themselves in a healthy relationship. There is a lot of personal space for all parties involved despite being in a relationship. There is far more common ground and agreements to be had, despite the arguments being a fact of life in a relationship. Finally, independence, equality, and respect are all hallmarks of a successful and honest relationship.

Stages of Relationship

There are four stages of relationships that adorn most of the intimate partnerships out there. Depending on how long you’ve managed to stay with your partner, i.e. whether your relationship withstood all the trials and tribulations, you’ll progress through the stages until finally reaching the coveted love.

Stages of relationships are usually broken down in the following way:

Attraction Stage
Crisis Stage
Working Stage
Commitment Stage

During the attraction stage, there’s a fair amount of dopamine involved, sparks are flying and it seems there’s no power that could restrain two romantic partners from one another. But when the withdrawal hits, the relationship usually finds its way to the crisis stage. Almost all the chemistry has dissipated, and it is at this trying time that couples either fight through or split up.

After that comes the working stage, where both partners are striving for equilibrium in their lives, hoping to correct what can be corrected and doing away with what is unnecessary. It is during this step that it’s most important to not lose oneself - compromise is good, but unwanted changes breed resentment.

Finally, when the dust has settled and adjustments have been made, partners can judge whether or not there is any mutual future for them. It’s at this point that real love appears, not just mad infatuation, but real appreciation and respect for the person sharing in your life.

Relationship Red Flags

Red Flags are early markers of potential trouble for the future of a relationship. They range from mildly worrying to exceedingly unwanted behavior, and here are some of the most common ones.

One of the red flags is a lack of communication. It ranges from silent treatment all the way to expressing dissatisfaction through grunts and general moodiness. While it may seem harmless and first and something that will pass, it should be addressed as soon as possible. Otherwise, solving future problems will be near impossible - good communication is a precursor to success in any field of life.

Untrustworthy people are the next problem. While little white lies aren’t all that harmful, if one partner is constantly lying to the other one, there are going to be a lot of problems in the relationship. One lie after another, it will be near impossible to say when it will happen next and for what reason. It could be a habit - in this case, it’s still bad, but not as bad as malicious liars.

Suffice it to say that immature people who still have a lot of growing to do will be very difficult to deal with in an adult relationship. Sometimes, their quirks will almost come off as adorable and even humorous. However, such individuals that constantly show tendencies towards being irresponsible, immature, and unpredictable are not going to be an asset to the relationship. Luckily, all of these issues can be fixed if you have the time and will to make the change.

Controlling your partner is a very disrespectful practice of trying to steer that individual’s life in the direction of your choice. It starts off innocently enough with suggestions about what their partner is wearing, then slowly progresses to their occupation and plans. If left unchecked, it expands into deciding who their partner can hang out with and what they can or cannot do. While there is a chance that you can correct this behavior early om, stopping it before it progresses will save you from the darkness that is a toxic relationship.

Toxic Relationships

Unlike red flags, which just basically forecast problems that might arise later in the relationship, toxic behavior is directly harming the self-esteem, mental health, and even happiness of one (or both) of the individuals.

What’s different in the comparison between the toxic relationships and just the regular red flags is the fact that toxicity can hardly be alleviated. Red flags usually show what might go wrong and what could use some working on. Oftentimes, people adjust and try to make the bad habit or behavior go away for the sake of the relationship. If a habit is difficult to fix, then just cutting back on it will do wonders for the relationship, especially if both partners are willing to compromise.

However, toxic relationships are already in the gutter and the odds of something or someone changing are fairly low. Toxicity implies constant mood changes, partners avoiding one another, and unhappiness creeping through every pore of the relationship.

When a person is being toxic in the relationship, it means they’re not interested in constructive solutions, problem-solving, or fixing anything really. It just becomes the game of bringing their “significant” other down, constantly questioning everything in a passive-aggressive manner (or very aggressive), and belittling the other person. Not every toxic relationship is equally negative, but if it seems like the relationship is all bad, all the time, the solution might be to break it up.

After all, it’s how most fairly toxic relationships end up sooner or later, and it’s for the best.

The Concept of Relationship

Considering how widespread the idea is that relationships mostly have to involve romance and intimacy, it is prudent to show that it doesn’t have to be that way and that the concept of relationship can take on other forms as well.

Not only is it too simplistic and unsatisfactory to label relationships as something based only on romance, but it is also very far from the truth. Interpersonal relationships can be long-lasting or brief; the bond between two or more people can be weak, or very strong and deep.

Acquaintances are very far from being real friends, and the relationship doesn’t have to be just with a love partner - colleagues, coworkers, associates, family members, neighbors, etc. The relationship can be regulated by law, such as marriage, or exist as an outcome of mutual agreement. Judging by the above, it becomes immediately clear that the concept of relationship is a difficult one to pinpoint. From one person to another, this elusive abstract concept can cover a multitude of relations that people can have.

While almost impossible to nail down precisely, the concept of relationship can be dissolved into three groups: friends, family, and intimate partnership.

Friends

Friendship is a relationship that people can develop with other individuals based on shared interests, experiences, and physical proximity. Friends usually stay in such a relationship mid to longterm, some even lasting a lifetime. Most people have one to six real friends, disregarding social network friendships and acquaintances.

Family

Much like the concept of relationship, the concept of family can take on many different forms depending on who you ask, which is why we won’t get too deep into it here. Most commonly, family members are either the nucleus of the family or extended family, the former of whom often live in the same household.

Intimate Partnership

The mother of all relationships, intimate partnership is the one that people most commonly equate with the term “relationship” in general. Based on affection and intimacy, a romantic or intimate partnership most commonly involve two people and is a precursor to marriage.

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