6 Things You Should Discuss With Someone Before You Start Dating Them
New relationships are kind of a big deal.
While it's exciting to invest your time in someone you care about, getting involved in a serious relationship also demands a lot of thought and care. Just as you would want to know certain things about your partner before you agree to date them, you should also be willing to reveal crucial information about yourself.
Keep scrolling for six things about yourself that you should probably tell someone before you date them.
Past Cheating
Whether you were the cheater or the person cheated on, past instances of going astray are pretty important to talk about in a new relationship. If you were the cheater, it may affect your partner's ability to trust you. It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's their right to enter the relationship with as much information as possible.
If you were cheated on, you may be bringing trust issues and other worries into your current romance, which can help to explain some of your nervous behavior. Strong partnerships demand trust, and cheating can change the balance of confidence both partners have in the relationship, so it's a topic that need to be addressed.
(Mean Girls via Paramount Pictures)
Current Relationships With Exes
While you're certainly not required to give a full rundown of your dating history, any potentially concerning information about your relationships with your exes should be shared with your potential new partner. For example, if there's a lot of bad blood between you and a former flame, your new partner would probably want to know about it. On the other hand, if you're BFFs with all your exes, your new S.O. likely wants to be aware of that, as well. Pertinent info about your past romances should always be talked about, if only because it gets everything out in the open and shuts the door on the opportunity for an argument down the line.
Your Social Habits
Even though it sounds ridiculous on the surface, social personalities are actually pretty important in a relationship. If you love to go out and spend all your spare time around other people but your S.O. is happy being a homebody (or vice versa), your different natures could quickly become an obstacle in your relationship. It's not that it won't work, but it's definitely worth addressing your social habits, including how much you would expect them to participate in your activities, before you start a full-blown relationship.
(Gilmore Girls via The CW)
Your Level of Clinginess
No one likes to admit it, but we can all get a little clingy in a relationship. However, everyone has different levels of clinginess, ranging from spending all day, every day with your S.O. to texting 24/7 to simply expecting a once-a-day check-in. Wherever you may fall on the clinginess scale, it's worth discussing with your partner exactly what you expect from the relationship in terms of time commitment. For the wrong people, it will definitely scare them away, but it's worth letting them know what they're getting into before you lock yourself into a romance.
Your Deal-Breakers
Even though you shouldn't be looking for someone to check off each box on your must-have list, everyone has certain things that they simply can't ignore in a relationship. Whether it's values that you won't compromise on or certain behaviors that you find unacceptable, your potential new partner should have a clear impression of your deal breakers. It allows you to discuss the things that are most important to you, and it ensures that they don't have any of the qualities that you absolutely cannot compromise on.
(Riverdale via The CW)
Anything You're Nervous About
The truth is, every relationship is different. We can't tell you exactly what your partner should know, but if there's anything that's been gnawing at the back of your mind, you should probably tell them. Oftentimes we want to wait until we're fully established in a relationship to reveal any information that might ruin the romance. However, all that does is delay an inevitable conversation. Not to mention, it can often look shady and off-putting when you purposely wait to reveal important info.
It will be difficult, but it's better to get the tough stuff out in the open before you commit to each other. That way, you're both going into the relationship with a clear head and no dark clouds waiting on the horizon to ruin your romance.
On the hunt for more dating advice? Click HERE for 5 ways you're ruining your relationship without even realizing it.