What Qualities Make a Good Partner?

Everyone needs a partner in life — someone they can confide in and navigate this crazy thing we call life. Having someone to love and care for can improve our mental and physical well–being.

With so many connections now made online through dating services and apps, how do you know what to look for? Some elements of a person’s personality only become clear after spending time with them, but there are a few qualities that you may be able to start seeking out from the first time you view someone’s profile.

Honesty

The best relationships are built on a solid foundation of trust and honesty between two people. If someone can’t be honest about who they are, they are likely to lie about other areas of their life or your relationship with them.

Steer clear of this personality type by avoiding online profiles that seem overly inflated. As the old saying goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Once you meet in person, check to make sure someone’s real-life persona matches what they make available online.

Capacity to Care

Relationships are greater than the sum of their parts and thrive when each person cares about the other more than themselves. In order for this to happen, you need to find someone you care deeply about and who has the capacity to feel the same for you.

This type of connection does not happen overnight, but you can tell pretty quickly whether it will be a possibility down the road. If a potential partner seems too self-centered, it’s unlikely he or she will be able to put those feelings aside in favor of caring for someone else.

Similar Interests

Being with someone is a great way to broaden your horizons and try new things, but that exploration should begin with a foundation of shared interests. You and your partner do not have to be exactly the same, but you should have similar attitudes toward major life issues like marriage and having children.

Finding someone who shares your hobbies and interests also provides an easy conversation starter and opportunities to grow the relationship early on. It will also lead to fewer conflicts down the road because there can be less to disagree over!