Relationships are beautiful, once it is fulfilling the intent of why you would want to go into one. Relationships are meant to prevent you from being lonely, especially in the busy and frustrating life we live in. The love you feel is real, and your partner is the right one for you at this time. But it is possible that you have concerns. Maybe you are in your second month of dating him or her, and sometimes, you may wonder which stage we (you and your partner) have been through, and which one are we at?
Don't feel bad that you are trying to weigh your relationship in your mind, it's just you being human. Now, let's discuss the stages of a relationship by month.
Five Stages Of A Relationship
Relationships are great, but how long yours last really matters. There are relationships that start out sweet, but in a couple of months, it turns sour. Relationships go through five stages. There are different events that occur at each stage, but more importantly, each relationship is peculiar. Your ability to recognize the characteristics of each stage would help you hold on, and know what to likely expect. Here are the five stages of a relationship you should expect.
1. Initial meeting
It is the first stage that all relationships go through, and this stage lasts for about a few days when both parties are still new to each other. When it's a dating relationship, you have to start somewhere. The meeting point or scene could be work-related, at a friend's party, at a bank, just about any other place where three or more persons can be for one reason or the other.
In the modern world, people can also meet over the internet, as there are various dating apps that allow for such, as well as social media. This is the first stage, and the first impression at this stage determines if there would be a sequel to the meetup.
2. Attraction and romance
No relationship eludes this stage of fantasy. It is the stage where you get to know each other, and it lasts for an average of three months after the initial meeting, though, there can be variants in duration. This stage is very interesting and every couple would wish to remain in this stage longer than usual, even forever. But it does not last as subsequent stages, bounding to advance. One reason why some people change relationships from time to time is that it is the only stage they really go down with, they are not able to advance to the next stage.
Common characteristics of this stage include:
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Overlooking flaws and trying to find common ground with your partner.
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You try as much as possible not to have a conflict with your partner.
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You get to spend more time with each other, musing and basking in the euphoria of your partner all the time.
3. Reality
Have you been wondering that 5 months into a relationship, what to expect? Well, this is what to expect when your relationship has lasted for over three months – the stage of reality. This stage would last for almost 6 months after the fantasy stage and has over time been the cause of most breakups in relationship history.
At this stage, you get to discover more about your partner, such as intrinsic values, characters, interests, or other important things. At the same time, you begin to notice his or her weaknesses; you get to delve deeper into who he or she really is; you see what he or she does wrong, what you don't like about him or her, and then, you wonder where the 'whole thing' is headed. Both parties have this question, but the women are liable to ask first.
However, one thing to note about this stage is that you and your partner need to calm down and take thing slowly, analyzing and trying to sync preferences, which is the most effective way to survive this stage.
4. Stability
So far, the stages of a relationship by month have been full of ups and downs for the couple, but if they make this phase by following through the simple advice in stage three, they would find out that they have more rest and stability with time. This stage lasts for about two years, and despite the rest, it is the stage that each partner should endeavor to keep the spark alive, by spicing up the relationship.
This stage is tricky, each partner feels there is nothing intriguing anymore about his or her partner. At this stage, you have been exposed to the good, the bad and the ugly side of your partner, and you get to miss the feelings and awe of the fantasy stage. To keep the relationship moving, an effort is required from each partner to spice things up.
5. Commitment
This is the very final of stages, and at this stage, you have accepted your partner for who he or she is, and are ready to move on. This stage comes after about three years and lasts as long as you and your partner remain committed to one another.
For dating couples, at this stage, marriage has occurred and both parties are comfortable with it. You don't miss the intriguing feeling of novel romance, but decide to stick to your partner and build a future together. If your relationship makes it this far, voila, you are there.
Eleven Milestones in a Relationship
Milestones are there to strengthen your relationship. When you experience these, they end up bolstering your relationship, even if you did not have that in mind. These milestones are not like events or phases that traditional relationships should go through like meeting parents, but they have shared experiences that you and your partner would cherish for a lifetime. These milestones can also prove and assure you that your relationship is in a particular stage.
Let's do a quick run-down of milestones that occur in various stages of a relationship by month.
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Show public affection: This feat is really needed and it happens when the couple is comfortable with one another, and the silliest of moved of affection in the public can be reassuring.
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Meet friends: It is natural that you simply want to know the friends of your partner and hope they like you.
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Travel together: This stage is really important as it is one of those time you and your partner get to spend more than 24 hours together, prior to marriage. This is important in making you and your partner have a better understanding of each other.
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Say "I love you” to each other: If what exists between you and your partner is love, there is the tingling feeling that these three little words give to you when heard from your partner. This might come frequently, but the first time it is said could hold a really special memory.
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Exchange keys: To assure that you have nothing to hide and you are all for your partner, you might choose to exchange keys to your different homes, for either of you to drop in whenever you like. This leads to the assurance that your partner isn't cheating – at least in the house.
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Cook together: There is a special feeling that comes when you and your partner are both in aprons and moving around the kitchen, preparing your meal. This might most likely occur in the fantasy stage.
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Cry first: Women can cry to their partners easily, and the first time might hold a special feeling because that would be the time she finally decides to confide in you. On the other hand, men rarely cry and when they do, it is as a result of undue stress and intense duress, and this holds special meaning to the partner.
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Make up after your first argument: This moment comes as a milestone and should be treated as special because getting the problem that caused the fight out of the way is something that some fresh couples never have, and this event makes you learn one thing or the other thing about your spouse.
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Talk about your exes: This might be difficult at first, but for you and your partner to actually talk about this, that means there is a level of confidence and assurance you have in each other, and this is something to be celebrated.
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Attend work events together: This usually comes when you and your partner are now committed to each other's future, and you want to know more about his or her work life, meeting his colleagues and employer.
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Adopt a pet together: If you and your partner have a common ground on animal preference, and you are committed to taking care of one, adopting a pet for both of you might foster a deeper feeling and intimacy.
Last words
Love is a beautiful thing and being in a relationship with the one you love is one of the best experience in the world. But the truth is that in a relationship, you need more than the love to make it last because the love can only go as far as a few years. When responsibilities set in, it takes more than love – it takes commitment and determinations, which is the true definition of love.