Ten Signs Your Current Partner is a Keeper

By Dona Mwiria, Medium

With all the pink flags, red flags and breakup stories going around, — cough Amber heard cough Johnny Depp cough cough — it’s normal to wonder of your relationship. There is no way of knowing how long a relationship will last, but we can most certainly know whether it’s worthwhile or not.

Here are 10 signs your current partner is a keeper.

#1. They make little sacrifices for you.
Big sacrifices are easy to make because they are easily noticed and receive much credit. Small sacrifices are harder to make because they often go unnoticed. The irony is that little sacrifices are the most impactful, and it is what make a relationship last.

It’s doing something that will brighten their day, even if you’re not in the best mood. It’s placing water by his bed stand because his throat gets dry at night. It’s adjusting your schedule to take care of dinner while she’s at work.

#2. They try to get along with your family.
We all have at least one difficult person in our family, it could be a parent, sibling, or close relatives, who for one reason or another we wouldn’t give up on them.

If your partner tries to build a connection with them beyond awkward hellos and one-word answers, you’ve hit a jackpot! Because you have a partner who can look beyond their bad parts and see the good you see in your family.

After all, If they can’t stand being around your family, then there’s a good chance they’ll get sick and tired of being around you. Why? Because you’ve grown up with your family, their mannerisms are your mannerisms, and it will be an uphill battle changing that.

#3. They respect your Opinions.
You won’t always agree with each other, but if they can try to understand your thought process, they’ll respect your opinions. If you honestly can’t imagine why anyone would like hot dog competitions, then you’re probably not going to be with them long. That goes for everything from politics, hobbies, fashion, etc.

#4. They bring out the best in you.
Everyone has the potential to be anything and do anything. If you come across someone that brings out a different side of you, you’re the luckiest person. It might be something they ignite in you, something you didn’t know was there, or something you had long forgotten you had. A great relationship is one where both partners bring out the best-hidden things in each other.

#5. You want to be more like them, or at least a bit.
There’s an old saying that says, “relationships help us grow”. This doesn’t only relate to the struggles of partnership — heartbreak, disappointments, or learning to compromise — but also, to your partner’s positive qualities.

The person you love has qualities you’d like to build in yourself. As you grow with your beloved, you inevitably turn each other into better people.

#6. They confide in you.
People underestimate the cost of emotional infidelity on relationships. The price is relatively high. If you have a partner who shares their deepest troubles and darkest secrets with you, it means they’ve chosen to open up to you. The future becomes shaky when your partner looks for someone else to.

#7. They tell you what they admire about you.
You’re attractive, there’s no denying that, and somehow they could see beyond your captivating smile, beautiful eyes, and bulging wallet. Maybe you’re the most patient person they know, or you make them laugh like nobody else can. Perhaps it’s your grit that they admire. The point is, they see and love what’s unique about you; and make the unselfish choice of letting you know.

#8. They STILL joke and flirt with you.
At the beginning of a relationship, it’s easy for one to joke and flirt because they want to win you over. As the relationship settles in, life takes over, and we go into the monotony of everyday life. Once this happens it can get tricky to keep flirting and joking, but if they do, it means they’re intentional. They’re trying to keep the flame of the relationship burning. Appreciate them more.

#9. They take you as part of themselves.
Teal Swan once said,

“When you love something, you energetically pull it towards you and include it as you… It is the energetic movement towards oneness.”

I believe this to be true, because when you love someone, their worries become your worries, their problems become your problems, and their victories become your victories. And no, I don’t mean it in a co-dependent manner. It simply means in life’s up and down, you have each other’s back no matter what.

10. They apologize.
One of the hardest things to do is apologize when you’ve wronged someone. Our egos get in the way, we make excuses, we blame the other, or we bury the problem and hope things return to normal.

The bravest people are those who can look into the darkness of their actions, and see how badly they’ve hurt another. They take it a step further by admitting they screwed up and doing what it takes to rebuild the trust. That’s the type of person you deserve around you.

Conclusion
If your partner checked most points on this list, then it’s for you to return the favor. Appreciate them more, love them more, and level up. They’re trying to make the relationship work, so give it all you have all and more.