The Purpose of Relationships: A Balancing Act of Support and Challenge

I had an interesting conversation today with someone who asked me, "What do you think the purpose of relationships are?" 

In my book, TNT: TeeNage Transformation, I talk about the purpose of dating and why it's important to know your reason for dating so you'll avoid wandering aimlessly through relationships and actually have a set goal in mind. (For example: Are you dating just to have fun? To seek out options for a possible future spouse? Do you hope to one day get married? These are all important things to consider to make sure you and your partner are on the same page!) 

But the purpose of relationships in general is a little different. Personally, I believe that relationships are meant to be a balance of both Challenge and Support. They are meant to challenge us into becoming better people, inspiring us to become the best version of ourselves, and push us to our limits of growth and reaching our full potential. I believe they are also meant to support and encourage us. It's important to have a relationship in which we feel we are being valued, acknowledged, cared for, and can have that "shoulder to cry on." In other words, someone to trust, confide in, and know that even if you share your deepest secrets with that person, that you will still be accepted by them. 

Take note though, that there MUST be a BALANCE of Challenge AND Support. If you have only support, neither individual is growing neither as a couple, nor individually. The relationship flat-lines because there's no challenge in helping the relationship grow, become stronger, better, and more intimate than it was before. Life thrives on contrasts, and it is no different in relationships.

However, if you have TOO much Challenge and not enough support; if there is constant strife and argumentativeness, if the moments where you get along as a couple are rare, then the relationship you have is dysfunctional and there's not really a point to staying in it if both of you are completely miserable!

So as I hope you can see, relationships are meant to be a balanced act of both Challenge & Support. 


I hope you found this post interesting or informative, and I'd LOVE to hear what YOUR perspective on the purpose of relationships is, so please feel free to comment below! 
Have a wonderful week everybody! :-) xoxo