1) Honesty: This is the most important thing for me, as without honesty, there are no real grounds for a relationship to build. I believe that it's important to be honest about boundaries in any relationship and to be truthful to your friends/partner if they have done something to upset you. Without honesty, no relationship can grow or evolve. Besides, if you find out that someone you trust has been lying to you, it can really test the durability of your relationship.
2) Emotional Availability: Another thing I look for in my relationships is a level of emotional availability. I value a deep, emotional connection with people- a connection that can only be built through being open and honest with emotions. It may sound strange, but I often take it as a compliment when someone close to me chooses to open up about their struggles or worries, and I feel like I don't truly trust someone until I feel comfortable opening up to them also. For that reason, I struggle to connect with people who are closed off emotionally and can even view it as a bit of a red flag.
3) Loyalty & Support: Loyalty and support are two qualities that often come hand-in-hand with honesty and emotional availability. Without loyalty in a relationship, you can never fully trust the other person. I've had friends in the past who have not shown me enough loyalty or put enough effort into maintaining a relationship with me. If I'm making all the plans or constantly sending the first text, I see it as a lack of loyalty and investment in the relationship from the other person. Though that can be a hard pill to swallow, it can be a good indicator of which people in your life genuinely care about you.
The same goes for offering support; if you're going through a hard time and a friend or partner doesn't provide you with the correct support, it could be a red flag in your relationship. The green flags are the people who stick by you, ask you how you're doing and offer you a shoulder to cry on.
4) Empathy: Another important green flag in a relationship for me is the capacity for empathy. Empathy is defined as "the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel" (Very Well Mind), which helps with communication and understanding in a relationship. I often surround myself with people who struggle with similar things or have had similar life experiences to me, as it's the best way to find emotional common ground and share empathy.
5) A Sense of Humour: Last but not least, a slightly less emotional trait that I view as a green flag is a sense of humour! I believe that laughter is the key ingredient to a healthy relationship or friendship. Whether it's laughing over an inside joke or something one of you said, joking and laughing with a friend or partner can ease any tension and create comfort within a relationship. It's the final green flag I look for in any relationship.
