What Makes A Good Partner?

It's hard to determine how you really feel about somebody when you are young and your hormones are racing wildly. Physical attraction is the main thing that attracts the majority of people, but what is really important when looking for a partner in life? Perhaps there should be a checklist that we use and tick off all the things we like as well as those we don't when we are getting to know somebody. But, doesn't that take the romance out of it? Well, yes, but at the same time, if you are looking for someone to share your life with you have to consider more than romance.

Let us look at some different personality traits of a potential life partner.

1. A Good Sense of Humor

Have you ever been with someone who lacks a sense of humor? I find it very frustrating and dry. I have a strange sense of humor, but I have one, and if someone sits there stony-faced all the time it is rather disheartening. I ask myself in those cases how someone could go through life not seeing the humor in everyday occurrences.

2. Someone Who Listens

Did you ever talk to the person you were with and notice that while you are talking to them they are staring out into space or they pull their phone from their pocket and you know they are not interested in a word you say. Perhaps when you are done talking they give you a short, quick answer and then continue with whatever it is they want to talk about. That is rude on their part but even more than that it is a good indicator that the person you are with is more wrapped up in themselves and their own interests than they are in you and what you think or have to say.

3. They Have to Like Animals

That may sound a bit unfair and maybe even silly, but I have found that most people who like animals and animals like in return are good people that can be trusted. Animals have an instinct about people and if they don't like someone it is usually because they sense something is wrong. Trust the instincts of the animals around you.

4 . Don't Forget Manners

This is a different era from when I was dating or even when my children were dating, and I know the rules have changed, but I still find that it is important that the person you are with has manners. They need to open doors for you, pull out your chair in a restaurant, and pardon themselves when they burp or do something that is not acceptable. Being respectful of others is another thing that shows good manners.

5. Empathy and Consideration

The person you want to spend your life with should be kind, considerate, and empathetic to other people. They should be able to show interest in other people and what is going on in their lives. They should show emotion when something is wrong, and take an interest in what is going on with their friends and family. If they do that when you first know them, then chances are they will be that way with you.

6. They Should Take Responsibility

What I mean by this is when someone is an adult, they have a responsibility to themselves to take care of where they live, their car, their bills, and everything ese that happens when you are an adult. How they conduct their lives before you are together is a good indication of how they will be in a relationship. Do they overspend and then not worry about responsibility for bills? Do they leave their home a wreck, their laundry on the floor, and dishes in the sink? These are all indicators of someone who will eventually get on your nerves, unless of course you live that way as well.

7. Family

Family is important and so is how someone treats their family. A close family relationship is good but be careful of things that are red flags, such as a man who lets his mother guide his decisions after he is an adult, and wants a say in everything that he does. Watch a father who still thinks his daughter is his little girl and nobody is good enough for her. Both these scenarios indicate there is a not so healthy relationship happening.

These are simple guidelines and not meant to be all inclusive, but just some suggestions about the character traits you would possibly look for in a partner. I realize there are no perfect people out there, and perhaps the person you are attracted to has most of those good traits but lacks in a few, it would be a personal decision as to if you could live with the things that he or she is doing that is annoying. It's a long journey, and people do change along the way.