When it came to matters of the heart, there’s no doubt about the fact that things were much simpler in the past. This is because things were more or less black and white- you were either exclusively with someone, or not at all. Unfortunately, this is not the case anymore- things have become so much more complex, and it’s hard to read the signs of when something is genuine, exclusive, or just over altogether. Many people often get caught up in a relationship that goes on for much longer than it should, and this only results in events and heartache that could have possibly been avoided had you been able to see the signs to know that there was nothing left to salvage.
This is why we’re giving you this quick but effective guide on how to know when it’s over and when it’s not.
Gauge and Assess Your Feelings for One Another
It’s very easy to get super comfortable in a situation and lose the value of what you feel for one another. If you sense that perhaps you are experiencing unrequited love, then maybe it’s time to step it up a notch. You first need to assess your feelings for your partner and see whether they’re grown or dulled. If you find that you still love your partner very much, but things seem to have changed from their end, then it’s important to take the next step and try to understand why this has happened. If it’s a case of just spicing things up, then you need to try to do so. Change the routine, do something different together. However, if you feel that your feelings have dulled, they don’t excite you anymore, or that perhaps they are spending less and less time with you, then perhaps it’s time to talk about parting ways. When things change and neither of you is willing to make the effort to communicate or do something about it- when there is a lack of excitement- then it might be time to call it quits.
Has the Communication Changed
The fact that communication is everything does not change at any given time when it comes to relationships. Its value only gets magnified as you pass through different phases in your relationship. One thing you want to look out for is the method of communication, and how it may have changed. If you or your partner is always getting agitated when you talk to each other, or if either of you no longer feels bothered or think there’s any meaning or value to your conversations, then this is certainly a red flag. However, it’s also important to note that every relationship morphs in its form of communication, and this is something that needs work. So before you give up on each other, make sure that you’ve made the effort to talk it out. If it still seems that there’s no growth and no hope of meeting in the middle and understanding one another, then clearly it’s time to move on.
Where Do You Stand on the List of Priorities
It’s only natural that at the beginning of the relationship, you’re both immersed in each other and can think of no one else and what to spend time with no one else. It only gets a bit tricky when the honeymoon phase is over and you have to get back to normal life, tending to your friends and family, work, and social life as well. Trying to balance this along with having a relationship is hard work and if done right, can result in a healthy and long-lasting relationship. However, it’s not uncommon that either partner or both involved shift their priorities in a way that has the other feeling that something is off. If you find that you’ve been put, or are putting your partner, very low on the list of your priorities to pay attention to, work on, or take care of, then it’s probably not meant to be. If you find your partner doing this, and you have a conversation with them and they deny it and do nothing about it, then this is not something you can salvage. There has to be a sense of effort on their part and yours as well.
Assess The Physical Aspect
One of the most telling factors as to how you can find out whether it’s over or not is how things are going when it comes to physical contact and sex. This is impossible to ignore, and you need to know what the deal is. It’s not uncommon for things to cool down in this area, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that the chemistry or spark is gone- it may just mean that you need to get a bit more creative and make an effort to spice things up again. However, if you find that either your or your partner are straying away from the small gestures of affections such as hugging or kissing in the morning and so on, then this is something you need to pay attention to. If you’re beginning to feel nothing or stiff after getting intimate with your partner, then you need to talk to them about it, although this is a pretty standard sign of things going south.
Relationships are not easy by any means, but you must stay conscious at all times of what’s happening, and whether it’s something that you can work on, or if it’s a sign for you to let go and move on. This is why it’s important to keep the factors mentioned here in mind to ensure that you are aware of when it’s time to let go.