This Is What a Picture-Perfect Relationship Is Supposed to Be Like

The world is simply full of dating advice.

From the internet, to your friends, to your family members, everybody has their input on what your relationship should be like. And truthfully, you probably have your own idea of what you expect in a partner, and what other relationships should aspire to emulate.

But things can easily become confusing, as advice often contradicts what happens in the real world. You can read article after article promoting relationships that are founded on unquestionable trust, zero jealousy and constant communication, but finding those attributes IRL are much more difficult.

Relationships don't develop according to a formula. No matter how hard you try, your romance will never be as perfect as you would like, and that's perfectly okay.

However, we still believe that it's important to know what you should be looking for, if your relationship were to exist in a world where it could be 100% flawless. That way, you can set your standards high and carefully adjust them when you meet someone you genuinely care about.

So, in the interest of creating a benchmark for you to aspire to, keep scrolling to see what a picture-perfect relationship is supposed to be like.

Past Relationships Aren't an Issue

As much as we like to imagine that we're totally secure in our romances, past relationships are often a recurring issue. Not only is it difficult to curb your jealousy regarding someone your S.O. genuinely cared about, it can also seem like a benchmark for how your S.O. will act in your relationship. If they cheated, for example, you might enter your romance wary that they'll be unfaithful to you, as well.

However, in a 100% flawless relationship, past romances will never be an issue. You'll understand that your S.O. cares for you, and that your relationship is its own thing, free of anything that may have happened in the past. It's a difficult thing to accomplish, but it will make for a much healthier romance that's grounded in the present moment, rather than one that's constantly worrying about things you can't change.

 

You Disagree, but You Don't Fight

Conflict is going to occur in any romance—that's just a side effect of human nature. You can't agree with someone 100% of the time, and as you become more comfortable with each other, arguments will naturally start to arise. However, in a perfect relationship, your disagreements will never dissolve into fights.

Instead, you'll be able to talk things through calmly and rationally, carefully working through your problem to find a solution that works for both of you. It's very difficult to accomplish—especially if you feel strongly about a topic—but it actually furthers your relationship and demonstrates healthy communication, instead of making things worse through heated discussions that often go nowhere.

 

You Support Each Other Without Fear

Supporting each other in a relationship is an absolute must. There's simply no way for your romance to exist without a partner who encourages your dreams and aspirations. However, supporting someone you care about can also be really scary, especially if you're not sure where their ambitions will lead them.

Sometimes supporting each other means giving the other person space and freedom to explore things on their own. It's providing encouragement and hope, even if you're not sure where your relationship will end up in the process. Supporting another person without giving into your own fears is the purest form of backing, as it shows that you genuinely care about pushing them to be the best they can while simultaneously letting go of your own desires.

 

You Trust Each Other Without Question

Trust is the foundation of all good relationships, so it's likely that you're fully aware you need to trust your partner. However, we often give into tainted forms of trust. We say that we trust our partner, but we're constantly keeping an eye on their social media, reading text messages over their shoulder and keeping our eyes out for any discrepancies in the stories they tell us.

It's natural to take a "trust, but verify" approach, as it's a way of protecting yourself from future pain. But it's also not a genuine form of trust if you're constantly questioning your ability to do so. Trust means fully putting your faith in the other person, without questioning your confidence in them. Only then you claim to truly trust your partner.

 

You Keep Private Things Private

We tend to share a lot about our relationships with the people closest to us. In fact, we probably share a little too much to truly consider our relationships healthy. It's natural to seek advice and support from the people you care about, but you have to remember that the bond you share with your partner is also special, meaning certain information should be kept between the two of you.

Sensitive information they share in confidence, the nitty-gritty details of your arguments, their past hurts and traumas—all these should be kept solely between you and your partner. It creates a special bond between the two of you, and it builds a safe space within your relationship where you can divulge personal information without fear of where it will end up, ultimately providing an extra layer of trust and security to your romance.

 

You're Always Honest

Of course, you want a partner you can be honest with, but honesty in your relationship means honesty in everything, even the things that might hurt their feelings. Otherwise, it becomes and easier and easier to lie, especially if you're convincing yourself that you're doing it for their own good.

Honesty in everything means that you don't allow little things to turn into big things, that you're not hiding your true feelings from your partner and that you can count on openness and frank conversation in your relationship. Otherwise you're in a constant struggle to decide just how much honesty is too much honesty, eventually leading to a relationship filled with secrets and lies.

 

You Accept Each Other's Flaws

Accepting another person's flaws is perhaps the most difficult thing to accomplish in a relationship. We often believe if we can just nudge people and make tiny adjustments to their behavior, then we can turn them into the person we ideally want them to be. Of course, you should always encourage your partner to be better, but the truly amazing accomplishment is accepting that they might never fix their flaws, and loving them anyway.

The sad truth is we're all irreparably flawed in some way, and expecting another person to change and transform into a perfected version of themselves will only leave you disappointed. Instead, decide which flaws you can accept in another person, and choose to love them for their loud chewing, their overly emotional responses and anything else that might get under your nerves.

 

You Make Each Other Better

Relationships are hard work. They can be messy, frustrating and anxiety-inducing, as they claim a huge power over our emotional thoughts and reactions. Therefore, they can easily chip away at some crucial elements of yourself, instead of building you up and slowly improving who you are.

That's what you should be shooting for in a relationship—someone who makes you better, and who you make better, simply through your love for one another. In most relationships that won't be the case 24/7, but when you find someone who brings out all your best qualities, you should truly hang onto them. It's never going to be 100% flawless, but it's setting you on the road towards that idealistic romance .

 

Wondering what else you need to have a healthy romance? Click HERE for six things that are the foundation of every good relationship.