The Stages Of A Romantic Relationship – What You Can Expect
June 8, 2009 by Marc Sandford
Filed under Dating Tips
If you have met someone recently and there is a strong mutual attraction, you probably spend a lot of your time thinking about this person. Few people in this situation would be thinking about the various stages of a relationship that all couples in love go through. But having a good understanding of these stages will let you know what to expect as your relationship progresses.
The start of a relationship can be very intoxicating. You feel like you’re being swept along in the romance and life feels great. The desire for this person is very strong and your brain is overtaken by the chemistry of love.
Differences are unimportant at the start of a relationship. You might even find these differences endearing.
You’re more focused on getting to know one another and sharing more of your time together. This is called the romantic or honeymoon stage. Like anything that is fresh and new, the start of a relationship is adventurous and exciting.
The next stage typically decides whether the relationship grows or dies. When the newness wears off, you enter into the reality stage where you start to realize who this other person really is.
The differences between the two of you rise to the surface and have greater significance. Both people begin to notice that many of their needs aren’t being satisfied by the other.
This can be a tremendous let down because a number of your expectations have not been fulfilled. Also, the excitement and energy of the romantic stage have diminished. This adds to the ‘let down’.
It is important during this stage to step back and recall that everyone has their shortcomings. There is no perfect mate. You already know that you’re flawed, so why hold your partner’s flaws against him or her?
Direct and genuine communication is essential. Remember that trying to change your partner into someone that he or she is not will only fail. This frequently results in friction that can lead to a breakup.
If you successfully get past this stage, then a long lasting and stable relationship is in your future.
I have been living with my close friend for a couple years now and I really want to start a more serious relationship with him. He isn’t someone who expresses his emotions very well so I can’t just wait for him to start it. And I’m not very good at these things so how can I show him that I want to start a romantic relationship without just outright saying it since it will most likely scare him away?