by David-Leo Alabi

Created on: July 31, 2010   Last Updated: August 01, 2010

In truth, sometimes it feels impossible to find someone who's right for you — and who thinks you're right for him or her!  This is why, when it happens, the individual is usually so psyched that he/she doesn't even mind when a little brother finishes all the ice cream or an English teacher chooses the one day when he/she didn't do a reading to give a pop quiz. This is totally normal; to look at the world through rose-colored glasses in the early stages of a relationship and not see it for what it is. However, for some people, those rose-colored glasses turn into blinders that keep them from seeing that a relationship isn't as healthy as it should be. Hence, what Makes a Healthy Relationship? What makes a relationship secure or insecure. Hopefully, you and your significant other are treating each other well. Not sure if that's the case? Take a step back from the dizzying sensation of being swept off your feet and think about whether your relationship has these seven qualities:

Mutual respect. Does he or she get how cool you are and why? (Watch out if the answer to the first part is yes but only because you're acting like someone you're not!) The key is that your boyfriend or girlfriend is into you for who you are — for your great sense of humor, your love of reality TV, etc. Does your partner listen when you say you're not comfortable doing something and then back off right away? Respect in a relationship means that each person values who the other is and understands — and would never challenge — the other person's boundaries.

Trust. You're talking with a guy from French class and your boyfriend walks by. Does he completely lose his cool or keep walking because he knows you'd never cheat on him? It' s OK to get a little jealous sometimes — jealousy is a natural emotion. But how a person reacts when feeling jealous is what matters. There's no way you can have a healthy relationship if you don't trust each other.

The case is this; some people are great when your whole world is falling apart but can't take being there when things are going right (and vice versa). In a healthy relationship, your significant other is there with a shoulder to cry on when you find out your parents are getting divorced and to celebrate with you when you get the lead in a play.

Fairness/equality. You need to have give-and-take in your relationship, too. Do you take turns choosing which new movie to see? As a couple, do you hang

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