Signs of a Healthy Relationship When Dating

Understanding Green Flags in Dating and How to Identify Them

Just the presence of your new partner pacifies you. Your friends are big fans of them. They understand and respect your boundaries. In dating, these are indicators or “green flags”, and recognizing them can provide a clue as to whether or not your partner has long-lasting potential. But what does a green flag in dating actually mean?

You’re likely familiar with red flags—a warning sign to slow down in a relationship. On the contrary, green flags represent advancement and forging ahead in the dating process, like a green traffic light.

Dating and relationships expert at DatingAdvice.com, Dr. Wendy Walsh, explains that green flags could be a hint that a potential partner is caring, trustworthy, and commitment-oriented. She adds that while our minds are naturally geared towards looking out for the negative aspects as a survival technique, seeking out positive traits can challenge this bias.

Other relationship experts such as Mark Verber note that while dating doesn’t come with any guarantees, recognizing green flags can offer some reassurance as you invest your time and emotion in a relationship.

Celebrating your successes, engaging in healthy disagreement, curiosity about your emotions and experiences, follow-through on promises, and responding to your attention requests are just a few of the green flags you should be aware of.

Other positive signs include how they treat strangers, their ability to compromise and handle disappointments, and their attitude towards their exes. If they step in to support or help you during stressful periods, this element of sacrifice also exhibits their love for you.

In summary, the presence of these green flags can be a valuable hint of a partner’s suitability for a long-term relationship. It pays to be observant during the dating process—the signs are typically right there in front of you.