Every relationship has its up and downs; it’s good days and bad days. However, when you feel like the bad days are starting to take over, and you and your partner are drifting apart, it may be time to move on from your relationship. Every relationship will require some work to function correctly, but no relationship should feel like a job. Your significant other should be a place of refuge, not something you feel like you have to hide from, and a place where you can’t be your authentic self. If you’re seeing or feeling any of these signs in your relationship, it may be time to consider moving on.
You’re Asking For Attention/Affection
You should never have to look for proof that your partner likes you. Their feelings for you should be crystal clear. You also shouldn’t have to earn love from your significant other. Your partner should love you openly and freely. You are lovable and valuable simply because you’re you. You’re not a trick pony or a dog waiting for a bone. You shouldn’t feel like you have to jump through hoops for your partner to pay attention to you. If you feel like you’re asking your partner to love you or show you affection, it may be time to consider moving on from the relationship.
You Can’t Be Your True Self
It’s essential to want to impress the person you’re dating, but if you feel like you’re trying to make yourself more pleasing for your partner, consider moving on. You shouldn’t feel like you have to impress them all the time. You shouldn’t feel like you have to diminish who you are to make the other person feel comfortable. The relationship can’t be solid if you feel like you can’t ask for what you need or want, or you can’t be yourself without feeling like your partner will leave you. Your partner should be a haven, the person with whom you’re most comfortable. You deserve to feel like you can be your authentic self without having to apologize.
You Keep Trying to Fix Your Partner
If you feel like you’re constantly making excuses for your partner’s actions or behavior towards you, it may be time to consider moving past the relationship. Many people mistake getting caught up in their partner’s potential, meaning they focus too much on what their partner could be instead of what they are. The harsh truth is that you’re dating this person, not their potential. Focusing on a person’s potential could be detrimental to the relationship. It causes you to waste precious moments of happiness concentrating on what the relationship could be instead of what it is. It may also cause you to resent your partner because they aren’t living up to the potential that you’ve created for them. Every relationship requires some work. The connection may also require some change in both parties. However, if the relationship is meant to be, it won’t need a ton of work.
Your Efforts Aren’t Reciprocated
People will always go out of their way, sacrifice, and make an effort for things that are important to them. If your significant other claims they love you, but their actions say otherwise, it may be time to consider moving on from the relationship. If your relationship is a true partnership, it should never feel one-sided. Actions speak louder than words. Most people will show their partners how they feel about them through their actions, like buying their favorite candy or sending a playlist of love songs. If you feel like your relationship is one-sided and your partner doesn’t reciprocate your efforts, it may be time to evaluate your connection.
You Live in the Past More Than the Present
If you find yourself replaying the happy moments of your relationship to make yourself feel good about it, that’s not a good thing. It’s a sign that your current relationship isn’t where you want it to be. The more you live in those memories or a self-created future, the more you live in a self-created reality. Living in those memories can be dangerous because it’s not reflective of how your relationship is in its current state. The relationship you have with your partner exists in the moment, not the past. Memories should stay memories, not a reason for you to stay with your partner. Living in the past is similar to trying to fix your partner. Living in the past warps the reality of your relationship at the moment. It can be hard to decide whether to stay in your relationship or not if you continue living in the past.
Follow Your Heart
Moving on from a relationship can be challenging, especially if you’ve been together for a long time. The thought of living every day without your significant other can be scary and intimidating. However, it can be more complicated if you avoid the signs that it may be time to end the relationship. If any of these signs are present in your relationship, the first step is to communicate with your partner. It wouldn’t be fair to them to assume anything. They may be going through some problems and have issues expressing how they feel to you. If you have a conversation about how you’re feeling with your partner, and they acknowledge your feelings and make an effort to do better, then your relationship may be worth saving.
On the other hand, if you’ve communicated your feelings to your partner multiple times and nothing has changed, it may be time to move on. It would be best for your mental health if you didn’t stay in a relationship where your partner isn’t meeting all of your needs. You deserve a love that makes you feel comfortable, one that makes you feel like you can conquer the world. Your partner should be someone that you work with, not the person that you’re constantly battling. The most important thing to remember is that you are worthy and lovable, regardless of how your relationship makes you feel. If you do decide to walk away from your relationship, take time to work on the most important relationship: the one you have with yourself.
