Relationships can be incredibly fulfilling and comfortable, but they can also be filled with holes and problems that nobody wants to deal with. It’s obviously no secret that relationships are never perfect, but what exactly causes them to fail? What are the things that lead to breakups, and is there anything you can do to stop it?
We’ll be covering some of the hard truths about relationships and give some advice on how to stay strong together, but also explain why it’s important to let go sometimes.
Why do relationships go bad?
Relationships can end for a number of reasons and each breakup is unique to the people involved. Your relationship could end on a completely different note to your friend’s one, and they can last anywhere from under a day to several decades, but all of the reasons for breaking up are similar.
- There are trust issues. Trust is one of the most important aspects of a healthy relationship, but it needs to be balanced in order for the relationship to work. Both people in a relationship need to be trusting–it can’t be tilted one way or the other. If that trust is broken because of something dishonest like cheating, then it can be extremely difficult to rebuild. In fact, most people wouldn’t even bother trying to rebuild a relationship if it went bad due to trust issues.
- A lack of connection. Feeling emotionally and physically connected to your partner is important for a long-term relationship. However, if there’s nothing like that, then you’re essentially just good friends. Romantic feelings for someone are different to friendly feelings, and if one person in a relationship ever feels like their emotions and feelings are neglected or overlooked, then it can easily lead to a breakup.
- You’re just not compatible. Compatibility is crucial, but you might find that you and your partner have different goals in life and ways to approach them. The first couple of days, weeks, months, or even years might seem amazing. But over time, it’s not uncommon to slowly drift away from those initial feelings, and you’ll end up feeling incompatible with each other. This might be a mutual feeling, or it could be just one person feeling like they don’t fit into a relationship.
- Different priorities lead to different lifestyles. Sometimes, life leads us in different directions, pulling us apart from our loved ones. This can lead you to have different priorities to your partner, and it may mean something like splitting up to live somewhere else for work, or moving to a different country to study. There are times when someone has to choose between their relationship and their goals in life, and that sometimes means they’ll break up because they have different priorities.
A relationship going bad doesn’t always mean that the two people end up hating each other. Sure, you might get a divorce attorney involved and there might be some arguing, but if you can end a relationship on a mutual understanding then there is definitely room for the two people to be at least neutral with each other.
This is usually the best outcome because nobody wants to get others involved with their relationship problems. For instance, if you and your partner break up, but you have some really good friends on their side, then it can sometimes be a little awkward to meet up. Things obviously get more complicated when there are kids or assets involved, but that’s what those attorneys are for!
What can you do to prevent relationship problems?
It’s impossible to completely remove all of the potential relationship drama issues and challenges. However, there are a few things that you can do to work things out quickly and build up a strong relationship with someone else.
First, make sure you are communicating! Communication means being honest and open with your partner. You don’t have to share everything with your partner, but if it’s something that concerns them, then you should be honest and explain things. At the same time, you should also be listening to your partner to understand what it is that they’re concerned about and what kind of feelings and troubles they might have.
Secondly, make sure you establish a sense of trust! Be as reliable and consistent as you can with your actions together, and don’t promise things that you can’t meet. Stay faithful to your partner, and be someone that can address trust issues quickly and transparently. However, it’s worth mentioning that some relationships may become overbearing due to controlling behaviors. If you experience this, then it can lead to a toxic relationship if you aren’t careful.
Thirdly, just because you’re in a relationship it doesn’t mean there are no boundaries. Make absolutely sure that you and your partner have clear boundaries that you will never cross! Not only does this help establish a greater sense of trust, but it also means that you have respect for each other and your personal space.
Lastly, protect your relationship by sharing goals and values. Yes, there are times when you and your partner won’t see eye-to-eye with things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try to understand each other and discuss those goals together. Sharing the same type of lifestyle usually means that you’re more compatible, and it makes things a lot easier since you’ll be more understanding. That’s not to say that you can’t create a long-lasting relationship with someone that works in a different industry–but you will need to work harder to maintain that relationship.
Conclusion
Relationships will never be perfect, but there are definitely things we can do to help make them better. Choosing someone is something that takes a lot of time and effort, so it’s common for people to break up on good terms because they know that their perfect partner is out there somewhere. There’s a lot to balance and maintain with relationships, but we hope that this article has given a bit of inspiration as for how you strengthen your bond.
