Bonding is a process that occurs in stages. Therefore, the transition to a higher level of bonding or intimacy in a relationship will manifest itself through various tell-tale signs. Perhaps you've been on a few dates and know that you like the person. Or maybe you just started going steady and sense that your relationship is heading for long-term commitment. The signs that you should look for are subtle. However, the ones listed below should provide good indication.
a) You are introduced to family and friends
This is arguably one of the easier signs that things are getting "more permanent". When you are introduced to the people who matter in you partner's life, it suggests that you might actually be part of that group for some time to come.
b) Discussions of future plans and couple-topics
This doesn't necessarily include whether you want to roam in Rome, but the topics would centre on settling down, the possibility of children, financial affairs, religion and sex. The topics that you may avoid on the first date- or even the first few dates- would now become hot topics with your partner. This is a sure sign that the relationship is heading to another level.
c) Considering the possibility of living together
Even though cohabiting is more common these days and illegal in fewer states than before, it symbolises a long-term commitment in several instances. Very few people take living together lightly. Sometimes cohabiting is a prelude to marriage or viewed as a permanent arrangement. When couples entertain the idea of moving in, they usually feel that their relationship is tending towards permanence.
d) Overt or public displays of affection
Couples who are assured in their relationship usually have no qualms about displaying affection publicly. This does not necessarily mean smooching under streetlamp in the town square. It could be as simple as holding hands. This is a more potent sign if either partner were shy about being overtly intimate prior to that.
e) Consultation
When partners feel the need to consult each other on decisions that they would otherwise have taken independently, that signifies that the couple is no longer viewing themselves as two individuals, but one team. If you find yourself having to get your "passport stamped" by your partner or seeking his or her approval, the relationship is getting more serious.
f) Tied emotions
You tend to reflect the emotions and mood of your partner. If you're having a good day and your partner is not, the gloss comes off almost immediately. This emotional connection may not necessarily mean much at all times, but that level of connectedness is normally felt in cases of strong emotional bonding. Tied emotions suggest that your partner really is your significant other and that love is beginning to grow.
g) Sharing intimate secrets or innermost thoughts and feelings.
When you cross the threshold from routine communication about ideas, opinions and basic feelings to those aspects of your life than only a couple people know, things are starting to get serious. This signals deeper trust and the desire to share aspects of yourself that you did with few others.
The aforementioned signs do not automatically signal the progression of a relationship to a higher level, even though one or two of the signs may be strong enough to. However, if there is more than one of these, you can bet your mortgage that the relationship is one for the long-run.
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