Being
single gives you valuable time to reflect on the past before committing
yourself to someone new. But even if you?re in a relationship, you can
use previous experiences as lessons for the present. If things keep
turning sour, spotting the patterns can help you make positive steps
for the future. Here are the four ?key indicators? to look for as a new
relationship begins:
1. How
is the initial emotion handled? The beginning of a new relationship can
be very revealing. Think about the first few days, weeks and months
when you moved from being single to part of a couple: some
relationships start with intense
infatuation
which can often become physical prematurely with confused implications
about commitment. Others progress much more steadily and rationally.
Get some
relationship advice
from your past and establish whether there are similarities. There?s
nothing wrong with strong attraction, but it?s how you handle this
passion that can cause a relationship to develop in a healthy or
unhealthy way.
2. How
quickly do things develop? Look back to the most significant moments of
past relationships: the first kiss or first time a gesture of
commitment was made. By pinpointing these moments you can establish
whether a relationship has progressed at an even or hurried pace.
If
things are too rushed, it could suggest that one or both partners are
overeager, insecure and impulsive. The most stable relationships
develop steadily and gradually.
3.
Who do you tend to get involved with? People are often drawn to
partners with similar flaws. Compare you past partners and identify
whether their character traits match up. Before you relinquish your
single status, make your potential new partner is significantly
different from your last.
4.
Do your partners have similar backgrounds? As well as their personality
traits, consider their family backgrounds. Do they come from broken,
volatile or chaotic homes? Look at what impact this has had on your
relationship.
By examining your past relationships you can help ensure a happier future.