Am I ready for a relationship? It’s a major commitment, and it’s worth putting some thought before you make the plunge. Read on for tips on how to know if you’re ready for a relationship.
5 Signs you are ready for a relationship
You understand the importance of communication
Good communication is the foundation of any successful relationship. Especially if you’ve had issues with communication in the past, it’s important to learn how to communicate effectively. Once you’ve figured out things like your communication style, how to express yourself clearly, and how to listen, and even how to argue, you’ll be a in a much better place to start a serious relationship.
You’re not looking for someone to ‘complete’ you
One of the biggest myths the media and popular culture feeds people, is that you need a romantic partner to be ‘complete’. That couldn’t be more untrue, and in fact, that line of thinking means you’re likely not ready for a relationship. You are a whole person just by yourself and it’s only after you’ve acknowledged and internalized that that you can say yes, I am ready for a relationship.
You’re not beholden to a checklist
We’ve all done it: that long, detailed checklist of the ‘perfect’ partner, especially as teenagers. However, part of realizing ‘I am ready for a relationship’ comes with being ready to ditch the checklist, or at least, being open to a wider range of partners. While you shouldn’t completely let go of your standards, or ignore any dating red flags, being willing to go beyond your list shows you’re ready for exclusive dating.
You’re ready to compromise
Being in a relationship, involves some amount of compromise. While it’s important to stick to your guns on the important things, being with someone also involves being ready to meet them halfway. Compromising means valuing the other person’s opinion – perhaps you let them decide what’s for dinner, or do an unpleasant chore so they don’t have to. Either way, being willing to compromise is an important part of the ‘Am I ready for a relationship?’ question.
You know how to be alone
It’s important to know, why you are in a relationship. A reason shouldn’t be to escape from loneliness. And yes, there’s a difference between being alone and being lonely – with the former, you enjoy your own company, you are happy being single and don’t need others to feel fulfilled. When you know how to be alone, it’s much easier to answer the question ‘Am I ready for a relationship?’
