Published: 2021-10-25
Views: 296
Author: TracyJ
Published in: Relationships

Despite what you may have been told by Hollywood, falling in love is naturally easy, when it comes to relationships, it could be difficult.

You practically need to put in the effort if you want your relationships to succeed.

If you go through today’s statistics, you will understand that some couples are able to weather the inevitable storms, while others simply drift apart.

When it comes to coupling, you may not find any instruction manual because everyone in a relationship may experience different outcomes.

If only it were that easy, a lot of relationships wouldn’t have gone west. You may have seen some couples that are following the traditional path, while at the same time many others are not

When you check out those that are in a committed relationship, you may find few couples marry, who have children prior to marriage, and some who chose not to have children at all.

This is why you must note that every relationship, just as it is with an individual, is one-of-a-kind.

So, in case you are not sure what stage your relationship is in, this article will help you to know the stage of your relationship.

Top 4 Stages of a Relationship

When you understand the different relationship stages that you and the other person will pass through, it will greatly help you to navigate them.

As an example, let us take a closer look at a relationship in terms of months.

In a general sense, it is usual for many to judge a new romantic relationship based on how things progress from month to month.

In a dating relationship, couples go through four predictable stages.

At each stage, a decision is often made (sometimes more thoughtfully than others) to move forward or end the relationship.

When it comes to the length of time being spent on the stages, you may realize that some stages take longer than others to go through. While some people may also take much longer at each stage.

In addition, some stages may take much longer to complete than others stages. You will also find out that some people take much longer at each stage.

Stage 1: First Impressions

The number stage in a relationship is the ‘first impression stage’. This is usually the first stage where dating takes place. It is usually filled with romance as well as the development of feelings for the other person.

This stage can take place at any time regardless of location. So, it may take place while your chemistry is getting the connection as you go out on your first date. Again, it can happen when you run into someone you know and strike up a memorable conversation.

Stage 2: Experimentation

This is the stage where you begin to test the waters, as the name implies. This is where you set out to get to really know the other person that you may be crushing on. In case the person is a coworker, you may ask if they've been to that new Thai restaurant downtown.

The stage is dominated by what is commonly known as small talk. It is the main game being played on this stage. The stage will help you to note if they're receptive or share any of your interests based on how they respond.

In addition, at this stage, you will be able to know if you are to pursue any future interactions with the person.

Stage 3: Intensifying (getting deep)

This is where you start getting emotionally engaged in the relationship. At this stage, it is normal to start letting your guard down and investing yourself emotionally in the other person.

Knapp said this stage is the stage where you open up more. You also start sharing intimate secrets as well as spending more intense personal time together.

One thing that you must always note about this stage is that you will start allowing yourself to be more vulnerable.

In addition, you will notice the development of inside jokes, nicknames, and other casual forms of communication.

Stage 4: Commitment

Congratulations on reaching this critical juncture in your life.

This is the stage of getting fully committed to another person. It is a big step because you have overcome both small and large obstacles in your developing relationship to get here.

At this stage, your goal is to maintain your close connection as well as protect it from the common challenges couples do face in their lives together.

The main point here is that when you have decided to commit to an exclusive relationship, you have come to the end of the dating process. It calls for a heart-to-heart discussion on things that relate to both of you.

Bonus: This is also the time to share your adorable photos of each other on social media!

However, the journey does not end here. Accepting to commit to a new relationship does not always imply that it will end happily ever after. This is where the real work starts because there is a need to keep nurturing the long-term relationship.