Relationships are tricky to understand. When you first meet someone fresh and new, how do you know if your relationship is going to be long term?  If your significant other has proposed how do you know if it’s going to work out?  These are important questions, and the answers aren't always easy to come by. If you're wondering whether your relationship will last, here are 5 signs that it will.

You're not worried about him seeing you in those crusty sweat pants. When you first meet a new person, you probably wouldn't dream of letting them see you without full makeup. If months or years have gone by and he still hasn't seen your favorite lounge pants with the stains down the front, it may be a sign that you're uncomfortable to let him see the more relaxed side of you.

On the other hand, if he already knows you still sleep with a gigant stuffed moose from your childhood and is totally fine with that—it's a big sign he's the one.

You trust each other

It’s ok if he goes out with the boys.  He doesn’t mind if you go out with the girls.  You don’t feel a need to check his cell phone and Facebook page on the sly.  You know you can take his word.  Trust is an important part of any relationship but one you forge with a potential life partner is the most important of them all.

You can compromise

So, you both hate doing dishes.  Who is going to end up getting their hands soapy?  The best answer to that is both of you.  That goes for everything.  Say you come from opposing political philosophies.  That doesn’t have to be a relationship killer.  You compromise by agreeing to disagree.  You discuss but you don’t get mad that the other party doesn’t change his or her mind.

You support each other

There's nothing quite so satisfying as listening to your significant other excitedly announce that they just did a personal best on a hike up a mountain.  There is also nothing like having someone who has your back when things get hard.  A good sign your relationship will last is that you provide physical and emotional support to each other, even if what ever they need support in isn't your thing.

You can let go of their mistakes

No one is perfect, and eventually your spouse will make an off-color joke in front of your bestie who is a devout Catholic, not pick up the phone when you have a flat tire, or hurt your feelings by telling you your new brocolli casserole is disgusting.

Hurt feelings are part of a relationship, and so are mistakes. How we handle them has a real impact on the quality of our relationships. If one of you is still holding a grudge from months or years ago, it's a troubling sign for the future.

The most important sign of a strong relationship probably won't suprise you—it's good communication.  If you can talk to each other, your relationship has a good chance of surviving the test of time.  All of the above requires communication, even the part about letting go.  Your significant other knows that you have valuable opinions that are not necessarily the same as their own.