No one likes to end a relationship, and yet it happens every day. There comes a moment in everyone’s life where we know that a relationship is going to end, and yet we aren’t always sure what to do about it.
Even the best relationships can end. Sometimes one partner isn’t willing to commit, while the other is looking for something serious and long term. When a relationship is ending, you might not be looking out for the red flags that are visible to everyone else.
Here are a few common kinds of relationships and when it’s time to know if they are ending or not:
- Long distance relationships. Long distance relationships are challenging, but they work very well for some people. Long distance relationships begin for various reasons, but keeping them going requires patience, compromise, and flexibility.
These relationships can be hard on the emotions. When you aren’t able to be in the same place as your partner, you can emotionally begin to grow apart from them. It might not feel like you’re in a relationship at all; you just feel like you’re going out of your way to talk to someone who isn’t giving you the benefit of a traditional relationship.
Long distance relationships can work if you have a time frame for being back together with your partner. If there is no end date, you might want to think about ending the relationship.
- Relationships with married people. If you are in a relationship with someone who is married, this is a challenging circumstance. Whether they promise to leave their spouse for you or not, you are already not getting all of their attention. They made a relationship commitment to someone else, and you are getting just a taste of that love. Eventually an affair like this loses its charm, and you will find yourself alone again.
You’re better finding someone who can commit fully to you and only you.
- The long-term relationship. Some relationships are strong, healthy, and you have been dating for years. You might find yourself with pets, living together, or even with kids. Sometimes these long-term relationships are what we need in order to establish ourselves in who we are and what we are doing. However, at a certain point, you or your partner might be uncomfortable taking that relationship to the next level.
Don’t wait around for a relationship that isn’t going to progress where you want it.
There is no perfect timeline for any relationship, and each one is unique. You should keep your relationship goals in mind when dating someone new, and make sure that relationship is moving forward to your goal. If it isn’t, consider finding a relationship that will give you what you want and need. Life is too short to be stuck in the wrong relationship.
