4 Signs It’s Time to Break Up
Breakups are never fun, even if you're the one deciding to end the relationship.
That's why it can be so tempting to keep the relationship going past its expiration date, as you might find yourself feeling overly comfortable yet unhappy or simply like you've already invested so much time and effort into making things work. If the subject of breaking up has been on your mind lately or the relationship feels like it's been on the rocks, it's okay! Take a breather, and check out the following signs that it might be time for you and your partner to take a breather.
1. You Avoid Spending Time With Them
Have you found yourself enthusiastically agreeing to plans with friends, all the while ditching your partner or avoiding making plans with them? If so, it's a pretty clear sign that this may not be the person for you. While you shouldn't put your partner ahead of other important things in your life, especially while you're young, you should still prioritize spending at least some time with them. So, if you'd just rather do almost anything else but hang out with them, it may be time to just cut things loose and keep your focus on the things that really matter to you.
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Also Read About: How to Deal With Your First Big Breakup
2. You Can't Open Up or Feel Like Yourself Around Them
In dating, you should worry less about whether or not the person likes you and consider more whether or not and why you even like them. If you find it difficult to open up to them or you just don't act like your whole self around them, take note. Plot twist: the "butterflies" are usually actually a bad thing, a sort of warning sign your body is giving you that this person is making you nervous (beyond just the usual first date/can't-wait-to-see-them-again nerves, of course). If that feeling is constant and you can't help but hold back around them, you may want to listen to that anxiety and cut things for the sake of putting yourself first—and waiting for someone who makes you feel like the best version of yourself rather than not the real you.
3. It Feels Like They're Pulling Away From You
Usually, breakups start way in advance of the actual "we need to talk" conversation. When one person in the relationship starts shutting down or pulling away, it means that something is afoot. It could just be that they're having a hard time right now, whether that be with family, school, mental health or anything else, but if they really care for you the way a partner should, then they should be able to open up to you about those things. If they're pulling away instead—especially while insisting that they're "fine"—you may want to get ahead before the anxiety of worrying about the situation takes up too much of your mental and physical energy.
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Also Read About: How to Comfort a Friend Going Through a Breakup
4. You Just Don't See Them as a Part of Your Future
You probably have some pretty major plans for your life, whether that be moving to another city, state or even country for college or embracing a career you've always been set after. If you don't even take a moment to picture your partner as a piece of the life you're imagining for yourself—or if you're picturing yourself with someone else—then it may be time to reevaluate if you should be with them even now. After all, feeling confident and knowing when to put yourself first is the key to success when it comes to life, and that includes your romantic relationships.
If you haven't noticed any of the signs above and feel yourself breathing a sigh of relief, or if you just want to know what to look out for in your next relationship, click HERE for a list of qualities you should be looking out for in a partner.