The Reality of Romantic Relationships

Everyone knows that love at first sight is a myth, but what if it actually happened? What if you could fall in love all over again, this time with the right person, the one who really matters? The answer to that question lies within your own relationship.

Whether your relationship is with an ex-lover or a new partner, believe it or not, every relationship has its ups and downs. The good news is that most relationships can be repaired and quickly so!

However, there are some relationship problems that are just too insurmountable to overcome. In other words, what should you do if your significant other treats you terribly because of your past affair or because of your past cheating?

If you're in a long distance relationship and one of you lives far away from the other, how do you remain connected? Or maybe you're in a romantic relationship with an individual who may be cheating on you.

These situations might also cause issues for you as a result. In any case, whether it's a casual fling or a serious romance, knowing how to deal with these issues will go a long way toward making them easier on yourself and on the both of you.

Get to Know Your Spouse

If you're in a long distance relationship, you might feel a sense of panic when your partner doesn't answer their phone or return your texts. The problem is, you don't know where your partner is, and you might not even know it unless you try. One estimate suggests that around 50% of couples have problems communicating in a routine situation, such as when one partner has to work from home or the other is studying abroad and can't take care of you.

In other cases, communication problems can be due to miscommunications about your relationship status, such as if one of you is still in a relationship but trying to keep it secret, or if one of you is in a relationship but not sure if you want to remain together.

Make a List of the Reasons Why You're Together

If communication is a issue, it's not the only one. If your relationship is new, you might feel a sense of urgency when it comes to discussing your relationship status. You might want to know if you're pregnant or if you've had another std. You might want to know if your partner is seeing anyone else or if they want to be with you.

You might want to know if you can trust this person with your most important secrets. However, the best way to get to know your partner is to start a conversation. Get to know each other on a level that doesn't require a lot of information-sharing.

Ask questions about your partner's life, their friends, their work, where they're from, and what they enjoy. People are complex and interesting, and it's important to get to know them on a deeper level so that you can understand them better. And, in the process, you can learn about yourself too.

Be Realistic About Expectations

When you expect too much from your partner and they don't deliver, you both end up feeling disappointed and frustrated, often in tandem. You might have set a boundary before you met your partner and then found out that they didn't respect it. Or, you might have set a boundary that they didn't respect and then become frustrated that they didn't respect yours, too.

A lot of communication problems can be solved by finding a common language. If you speak a different language, make an effort to learn how your partner speaks English. If you don't speak English well, make an effort to learn basic English words so that you can chat with your partner easily.

Communicate Regularly

When you're in a relationship, you should usually be communicating on a daily basis. That said, if you're not in a relationship but want to be, or if you've been in a relationship for a long time but want to try something new, communication may be key. What does "regularly" mean?

It can vary from moment to moment depending on your relationship, but generally speaking, you should be communicating with your partner on a daily basis. Whether you texts them or calls them, you should be spending time with them. If you're not having a conversation with your partner every day, it's likely that you're spending too much time feeling frustrated or worried about them.

Bottom Line

Keeping your relationship on track is key to happiness. However, it's also important to realize that everyone's journey to love is different and that, therefore, everyone's path to love may not be traveled via the same route as you. Whether you're on the lookout for love again or you want to try something new, you need to be realistic with yourself about what you expect and what you don't.