7. Accountability
The ability to apologize is a big one. People need to admit when they’ve made a mistake and own up to those errors without someone flipping the blame on someone else. This validates the other person’s experience and also acknowledges responsibility. Ideally, someone will ask questions about how they hurt you and seek to fix the situation rather than getting defensive.
8. Vulnerability
Vulnerability is sexy, and it’s a must-have for a healthy relationship. The other person should be able to talk about their fears and insecurities or flaws, along with their wants and desires. This is the deepest form of honesty, it’s letting someone else into your inner world. Not that oversharing on the first date isn’t the same as being vulnerable!
9. They celebrate your wins and are supportive
When you achieve wins, big or small, whether it’s getting a promotion, overcoming a challenge, or doing a fantastic job on a project, your partner should praise you and be proud of those achievements. If they somehow connect your achievements to themselves and infer that you couldn’t have done it without them, that’s a red flag. If they’re genuinely proud of you, that’s a green flag.
