So, you’ve been seeing someone new? Congratulations on the new-found love! It’s a wonderful feeling, now isn’t it? A new relationship is a great opportunity for you to show your new partner your absolute best side: but there are also going to be things that you should remember to be cautious about!
DO: Be Honest About Your Past
Honesty is the best policy! If you feel like this person is boyfriend/girlfriend material, the last thing you want is for them to accidentally find out some important background information about your past through the grapevine. Give your new partner a foundation of knowledge to understand your previous relationships — and don’t be afraid to tell them the truth as to why it didn’t work out.
DONT: Compare Your Ex to Them
Ok, this is essentially the worst thing you can do not only to yourself but to your new partner as well. Your previous relationship ended for whatever reason and obviously there’s going to be issues surrounding whatever happened to make it come to an end. The worst thing you can do is make your new partner pay for what your old partner did to you. Your new partner has only been here for a brief moment — they should not have the same mistrust put upon them that you had with the previous partner.
DO: Speak About Your Relationship/Life Goals
You have to be on the same page! If your partner is not willing to speak about where he/she sees the relationship progressing, then perhaps they’re not ready for what you want. It’s healthy to sit down and actually speak about each other’s ultimate goals for love and life, so there are no shocking surprises after a long amount of time passes. Topics like family, marriage, children, career and location may come across as “serious” topics, but it’s something that should be discussed if you are serious about the relationship’s longevity.DON’T: Only Speak Seriously Over Text
In the twenty-first century, we can all fall victim to this. Our cell phones have become a staple of survival in our day-to-day lives and our main source of communication with friends and family. Having conversations with your partner via text is important since frequent communication is awesome — but some more serious conversations really should be done in person, not just over iMessage. DO: Put Effort into Meeting Friends/Family
You should totally put effort into meeting those who mean the most to your new partner! If it takes you a little while longer to feel comfortable to do so, that is ok! When you’re ready, you should put effort into meeting them! It would mean a lot to your partner if you show excitement into meeting those who are important to them.
DON’T: Overwhelm Your Partner/Yourself
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the amount of time you’re spending seeing your new boo, it’s time to take a step back for a moment. Having someone smother you — or you smothering them — will lead to negative outcomes. As well, you don’t have to text your partner 24/7! You’re still allowed to go to work, school, be out and about and not feel obligated to have to text back every 30 seconds. You’re allowed to have a day to yourself and feel comfortable to tell your partner that you want some alone time.
DO: Continue to Live Your Own Life
Your partner should be an added bonus in life, not your whole life. Before your partner, you were your own person. You should never stop being your own self — rather, think about how you can include your partner into that picture! Someone who is a good partner will welcome this idea, and want you to be the exact same for them!
Good luck in your new relationship! Have fun, be honest, and stay true to yourself!