We all wish to experience love in a perfect way. We have many fantasies about love. We long to experience love the way it happens in movies, reality is that for all of us relationships go through different stages.

As it is rightly said,

“You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationship every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging diversity” – Epicurus

Maintaining a relationship that is long-lasting aw well rewarding is difficult and important. For many the key to happiness is having great relationships. Of course, what good is money and success if you have no one to share it with?
There are several reasons for failed relationships and it is often a source of great psychological suffering. It is not inborn to have a great relationship, you will have to work consciously to master the skills required to make them flourish.
If you are already in a relationship you would have come across several stages that are a part of love. If it is your first love, let us help you to have an overlook of different stages that you may come across in your relationship. Do not worry, these are part of every relationship, it’s just a phase that you will have to cover with courage and belief in yourself and your love.

INITIAL MEETING

You would plan to meet your date in a bar or café or social group or go for a movie date.

It has to start somewhere. Different places will help you know each other better, will help you know about their interests and dislikes. Take a step ahead to talk as much possible and decide if it is to be taken to the next level that is going for further meetings.

THE INFATUATION STAGE

Infatuation means being obsessed about your date, being crazy about them. You know like getting impatient to talk to them. This is the start of a relationship. If there is no feeling of infatuation, my friends, do not think of entering into a relationship. For a relationship to start it requires a simple spark of interest. This stage tell about the chemistry you both share.

THE UNDERSTANDING STAGE

Ok so now you may have started to know each other, late night phone calls, exchanging texts, lovey dovey talks and discussing each other’s interests and fantasies. You talk about each other’s
families, exes, likes and dislikes and other innocent secrets. You may feel the life is perfect, beautiful and so romantic, like LOVE IS IN THE AIR.

THE ROMANCE STAGE

The romance stage is where you fall in love
You fall in love with the person if you are once infatuated towards them. You won’t see their flaws, when you fall in love. The romance stage is where you start being close to your partner physically. You start discovering things like qualities, fantasies, hopes for the future, the possibilities and everything is wonderful, beautiful, fun and exciting. This is the stage where you will take risks and chances and try to please each other.

THE POWER STRUGGLE STAGE

It is the hangover stage. The couples fight for boundaries and clearly defining unacceptable bottom line behaviours. Maximum number of divorce and breakups happen here. It is a painful stage as the couples start falling apart and love feeling is replaced with feelings of disappointment and anger. The focus starts lying on the differences and flaws. You try to change the person who want them to be. Do not lose hope in these struggle stage. Often one partner pulls away needing space. This stucks many couples. The goal should be to establish independence in your relationship without destroying the love between you. Sometimes this stage may last for long, depending on your willingness to it.

THE MOULDING STAGE

Every person has their own personal needs and expectations. In the moulding stage, both the partners try hard to mould each other to fit their own wants in a perfect partner. This stage is a lot about give and take. Both partners try to change their behavior towards the relationship.

THE ADJUSTMENT STAGE

Your behaviour may vary from your partner’s. You both may not think alike. You both need to adjust. This is another “make or break” point in any relationship. Once you lay down all the
opinions openly and everything is said out, then comes the adjustment stage. You both will have to make compromises to find balance and harmony in your relationship. There should always be the spark to meet each other’s need and do not let go the relationship. Don’t be unwilling to compromise.

THE STAGE OF DOUBTS

Whether you are married or you have been in a relationship since years with each other, somewhere along the way doubts may start creeping – in. The intensity of doubts depends on your relationship and the trust you both have on each other. One may start thinking of their past relationships and other prospective partners. When it is the stage of doubts, you start comparing your relationship with other couples and other relationships. You may start wondering now if your relationship would survive this stage? It definitely will, as long as your relationship isn’t monotonous.

THE COMMITMENT STAGE

After going through the various stages, having romance, going through the struggles and doubts, in the end you may feel like fully surrendering the reality that you and your partner are made for each other. Through all this you would learn to love each other and what brings happiness. You choose each other consciously. Despite of all the flaws, you chose each other, knowing all good and bad. You start experiencing a sense of belonging, fun,power and freedom.

THE SEXUAL EXPLORATION

In some couples sex life may prevail in the earlier stages, but trust me if it goes smoothly with time, it will be more beautiful. In this stage your sex life start to play a big role. You may give up on passionate sex till this stage or look for ways to make sex more exciting and thrilling. Make sure
that your sexual interests do not differ, it may end up having an affair. You can find creative ways to make love, you relationship can get better and bring both of you a lot closer.

THE STABLE HAPPINESS STAGE

You have to be mature, stable and adaptive to adjust the needs of your partner. You have been generous enough to compromise. To be stable in your happy love life, face any challenges that come your way at this point. You may experience any or all of these stages. Do not let the dark side of these stages scare you. You are born to love.

LOve HArd!