Member-only story
Challenge in Dating — We’re Unable or Unwilling to Accept a Person as They Are
We’re misinformed on how to manage our expectations when it comes to romantic relationships, and it’s ruining them before they even begin.
I’ve recently started dating again and am currently with a romantic partner. In the time that I’ve been back on the dating wagon, I’ve noticed a thing or two that have been making me think about the expectations some people have when dating. And I’ve come to the conclusion that one, they are very unrealistic, and two, it’s ruining relationships before they are given a chance to blossom.
Watching a close friend of mine recently go through a break-up of a four year relationship, and how she’s dealing with it, opened my eyes to the unrealistic expectations we can have when we’re trying to date. This can apply to people who have not dated yet, have dated in the past but have not done so for a while, and those who are constantly dating or recently got out of a relationship and want to date again.
I will not divulge any details of what I’ve witnessed her go through but I will give examples of how I and other women I know have behaved in a similar fashion. I’ve noticed that in many occasions, we (women) focus more on the potential and the…
