A lot of us enjoy being in romantic relationships but are we usually ready for them?
A relationship is a space that two people can choose to fill with companionship, playfulness, commitment, intimacy, vulnerability, encouragement, reliability, acceptance and every need that means most to them.
As a single man or woman jumping back into the dating scene, what can you do to prepare yourself?
1. Find your true self
We hear this oh so many times, well, the emphasis is necessary. When you walked into the twenties, you probably tried to figure out this early adulthood phase. Experiences have since been shaping you hence you are ever-evolving. How can you then continually peel off layers to get beneath the depths of your soul to encounter your individuality?
Spend a lot of time alone. You can pray, journal, read, travel solo, meditate, pursue your interests, take up a hobby and so on to fully experience your innermost self. Improve areas in your life which you can and embrace the parts of you which you can do nothing about. When you accept yourself, you will not feel the need of a partner to validate or complete you.
2. Be ready for it
Although a healthy relationship involves two wholesome individuals, you do not have to be perfect to be in one. Keep working on every aspect of your life so that you do not place any of these responsibilities on your partner or ignore them once you are in a relationship.
To be ready for a relationship means that you have come to terms with your past, emotional wounds or any form of insecurity to avoid hurting yourself or someone else. It means that you are healing instead of waiting on your partner to show up and fix things. They can be there to support you on a journey you have already begun. To be ready means that you bring value into the relationship. It also means that you are aware relationships require hard work so you are willing to put in effort, time and emotions even when it gets tough.
3.Envision the kind of relationship you want
There are people who look for fun, others for social status, those who want financial support, others marriage and everything in between out of a relationship. Be clear on what you want so that you are able to sieve through the people you meet. Have a realistic list of qualities you are looking for in a partner. Genuinely be that kind of person too to attract what you desire. Do not feel the pressure to get into just any kind of relationship, you will find your match.
What do you do to prepare yourself for a relationship?
