What do you want in a romantic relationship? Is it to be with somebody who fills you with doubts and suspicion? Of course, you want a genuine mate, and you want someone you can trust with your heart. The trait you might be searching for is authenticity.
Remember that’s the kind of person your partner wants, too. Are you honest with yourself, or are you trying to be someone you’re not? When you are both authentic with yourselves, you can see a marked improvement in your connection.
Ways Authenticity Improves Relationships
Maybe it’s time for you to take a good look in the mirror. Do you recognize the person you are presenting to your significant other? Here are 15 ways that being authentic can make your love relationship flourish.
1. Build More Positivity and Less Negativity
When you and your lover are together, a positive atmosphere can make you feel closer. Perhaps nothing can spoil a relationship quicker than pessimism. It forms like a dark cloud that keeps everyone and everything in the shadows.
When you are genuine, it helps you have a more positive outlook on life. You are happy to be yourself, and you needn’t try to measure up to anyone’s standards but your own. Positivity is also contagious and can boost your mood and may improve your health.
2. Makes You More Adaptable
Wouldn’t it be nice if you never had to worry about change? If you are like most people, you find comfort in the familiar, and change is stressful. However, authenticity gives you and your lover the strength to adapt as needed.
Your relationship will experience many ups and downs over time, and adaptability is crucial. If situations or settings in your lives alter, you won’t snap because of inflexibility. You both can help each other adapt as you realize a new normal.
3. Minimizes Ego Trips
What if the first name of your Mr. or Ms. Right is “I am Always?” If you or your significant other has a narcissistic personality, it will inevitably turn into a toxic relationship. Narcissists are all about themselves and what others can do for them.
As an authentic person, you don’t have room in your life or relationship for egotism. It allows you to have self-love without placing you and your needs above the other. It becomes easier to make compromises when you understand that you’re a team.
Just because you have authenticity doesn’t mean that you’ve lost your identity. You can both celebrate your individuality while still being a couple. An inflated ego does nothing but shuts everyone else out of your life, including your special person.
4. Develop More Empathy
Many people often consider sympathy and empathy as synonyms, but they aren’t. When you see someone in pain or a hurtful situation, you can extend sympathy out of kindness. However, empathy takes it a step further, and you “feel” the other person’s emotions.
Empathy isn’t an automatic human virtue. It comes with an authentic self who can reach out to others out of the experience. When you and your partner are empathetic with each other, your relationship can be more lasting and fulfilling.
5. Cultivates Creativity
It’s been said that only boring people will complain about being bored. When you are true to yourself, you can connect with your inner creativity. Boredom can be a stealthy enemy of committed relationships.
When you and your partner allow each other’s creativity to shine, your relationship can be spontaneous and fun. Only when you have authenticity can you cultivate your talents and innate creative abilities.
It also encourages the desire to learn more and develop skills you’ve always wanted. A false sense of identity only keeps you hampered, bored, and depressed.
6. Allows You to Forgive and Heal
Human beings are fallible, so there will always be mistakes and shortcomings along the way. Sometimes, the journey toward being your authentic self can be troubled, and you and your significant other will butt heads. Disagreements are not only expected but are the learning curves that help people grow together.
Authentic people find that holding grudges only hurts them and their relationships. Learning to forgive your mate and yourself gives you the freedom to acknowledge a grievance and get past it. You’re not excusing the wrong, but you’re letting it go.
7. Helps You to Be Less Controlling
Some people are dominating and controlling by nature. These alpha personality types can only have lasting relationships if they learn to use their strengths for the positive. If not, the relationship can turn toxic because the partner can’t be genuine.
When you face your true self, you may realize that you exert more control in your relationship than you should. If you are the submissive partner, you see that your mate isn’t respecting who you are.
Genuineness can help you be less controlling, or it can give you the strength to speak up for yourself.
8. You Can Be More Accepting of Others
When you love someone, you love them for who they are, not for who you think they should be. If you go into a relationship with the idea of changing your mate, you’ll be sadly disappointed. Not only are you dishonest with them, but you’re not honest with yourself.
Authenticity gives you the grace to accept others as they are, as they do the same for you. Yes, you both have faults and failures, but you realize that these are part of the human condition. When you’re true to yourself, you are also more accepting of who you are.
9. You Can Be More Loving
Isn’t it beautiful when you can love someone for who they are? More love is a gift of authenticity. You’ll find that you and your partner will have more time and appreciation for each other. Plus, it makes your intimate moments even more special.
10. You Will Own Your Mistakes
It takes strong people to own up to their mistakes. Not only can you find forgiveness, but others will respect you for it. Toxic personalities are noted for shifting the blame to others to make themselves look better.
Having authenticity means that you acknowledge your faults as well as your successes. It’s a lot easier to admit you’re wrong and apologize than to cover it with one lie after another. As a real person, you’ll take the rightful blame and ask for your partner’s forgiveness.
11. Your Arguments Will be Fairer
Have you ever heard the old saying of agreeing to disagree? Sometimes, a disagreement between you and your person can get heated. Sharp words can be exchanged that you’ll both regret later. If you’re honest with yourself and see your relationship is constant fighting, it’s time to reconsider.
You’re genuine when you both have differing opinions. However, authenticity goes further by knowing how to disagree without it escalating to a fight. If the argument goes south, you’ll know when to excuse yourself to take a breather and refocus.
12. You Will Be True to Yourself
Shakespeare said it well in Hamlet when he wrote: “to thine own self be true.” This expression isn’t calling for selfishness or narcissism. Rather, it’s an urging to be true to yourself so you can be authentic to others.
Maybe you see things in your personality that make it difficult to see yourself for who you are. That’s okay because self-reflection helps you make positive changes. It can also be beneficial in your relationship with your lover.
13. You Will Explore Your Core Beliefs
As a child, you naturally modeled your parents and accept their beliefs as gospel. However, age and experience encourage you to take inventory of your belief system. Do you accept a belief just because of your parents?
Becoming more genuine permits you to form your own opinions and belief system. You are free to discard what you want or keep those that resonate in your life. You will learn to be more sensitive to others’ thoughts and beliefs, especially those of your significant other.
14. You’ll Live in the Present
Do you ever listen to yourself when you talk to your lover or other people? Is your conversation peppered with the past tense? It’s beautiful and beneficial to reminisce, but you can’t let it keep you from living in the present. Past regrets and thoughts of “could have,” “should have,” or “if only” are not helpful to you or your relationship.
Bold authenticity brings you to the present. You and your partner can enjoy mindful living, which can minimize anxiety and depression.
15. You’ll Will Constantly Work to Improve
No matter how long you’ve been out of school or college, you’ll never stop growing, learning, and improving. If you do, your life may be ingenuine, and your love relationship can become stagnant. Genuineness gives you the strength to see your shortcomings and work for improvement.
Final Thoughts on the Value of Authenticity in Your Relationship
You can’t expect your lover and your relationship to be genuine if you’re not those things yourself. Self-reflection and honesty can build a fulfilling relationship that can last for years to come. Authenticity is key. Be true to yourself, and you can be true to your mate too.
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