In relationships, it's important to strike a balance between giving and taking, and compromising is crucial for ensuring a lasting partnership. Nevertheless, there are certain principles that should never be up for negotiation, and sacrificing them should never be required. If you find yourselves at odds over these fundamental values and unable to align, it might be best to part ways.

1. An Understanding Of What Respect Means

If he diminishes the importance of your emotions or dictates how you should feel, it shows a lack of respect towards you. Similarly, if he treats your family or friends poorly, it also indicates a lack of respect. Remember, respect is not a choice in a relationship, but rather a fundamental requirement.

2. The Ability To Voice Concerns

If you're unable to have open and comfortable communication with your partner, it's a sign that the relationship may not be right for you. It's a straightforward reality. When you find yourself constantly on edge and tiptoeing around your partner, it's often better to end things before the situation worsens.

3. Whether Or Not You Want Kids

When it comes to children, it's not an area where compromise is feasible. It's a matter of either wanting them or not, and deciding to have one "just to try it out" can result in a lifetime of bitterness. It's crucial not to force a partner who doesn't want children to have them or to ask a partner who desires a family to abandon that dream.

4. Hard Limits

Essentially, you cannot bargain for things that you find unacceptable. The other party must eliminate that behavior, or you must depart from the situation.

5. Major Lifestyle Goals

This issue is analogous to the topic of having children, which technically falls under the same category. For instance, if you desire to lead a vegan lifestyle in New York City while your partner is a hunter from Alabama, choosing to compromise on one objective for the other could result in built-up resentment.

6. Whether You're Monogamous Or In An Open Relationship

If you desire a lifelong commitment with one partner, but your significant other prefers to keep their options open, it can create significant problems. Such an arrangement is not feasible because those who seek monogamy will inevitably feel deceived when in a polyamorous relationship.

7. Major Religious Issues

This category of problems is one that can be entirely evaded, or it can lead to even the most ardent commitment to fall apart. If your partner's religion explicitly forbids them from marrying you or is bound to make your life unhappy, then it's a dealbreaker.

8. Sex — How Often, What Kind, Etc

It's vital to have sexual compatibility in a relationship. Lacking that essential spark is essentially inviting years of misery or opening the door to infidelity. Don't subject yourself or your partner to such circumstances. When your needs aren't being fulfilled, things will undoubtedly sour, leading to resentment towards your partner.

9. How They Handle Family Issues, And How They See Family Dynamics

There are certain non-negotiable aspects when it comes to family matters. If your partner consistently prioritizes their family over you and fails to defend you in front of them, it's evident that you'll always come second.

10. Feelings About Drugs And Alcohol

This issue is more polarizing than one might anticipate, and it's unquestionably non-negotiable. A person in recovery from alcohol addiction cannot safely be in a relationship with someone who drinks regularly. Smokers often date other smokers, and individuals who party excessively often find themselves single for a reason.

11. Cleanliness

It may surprise you, but cleanliness is subjective. For some, it means merely showering and keeping belongings in orderly piles, while others might be more particular about their partner's cleaning practices. Nevertheless, it's challenging to deal with a partner whose cleaning habits are either well below your expectations or exceedingly meticulous.

12. Similar Philosophies On Money

Money is a crucial aspect of any relationship, perhaps even more so. If you're with someone who will lead you into financial ruin, it's not a healthy relationship. Love cannot satisfy your hunger or pay your bills. At a minimum, ensure that your partner is as financially self-sufficient as you are.

13. Having Their Own Interests

It's impossible to maintain a healthy relationship when one partner has no hobbies, aspirations, or interests outside of being with the other. This behavior sets the stage for codependency, which eventually results in the relationship's demise.

14. Kindness

If your partner is rude to others, they will eventually treat you the same way. Kindness is a critical component of a successful relationship. If your partner has a propensity for violence, you should be prepared to experience its ugly side at some point. Demonstrating a genuine interest in others is vital to an individual's ability to participate in a relationship. If your potential partner lacks a good heart, they will likely treat you terribly in every aspect.

15. Both People's Desire To Make It Work

It's impossible to bear the entire burden of a relationship alone, and it's futile to constantly struggle to maintain a relationship with someone. For a partnership to succeed, both individuals must be fully committed to it.