Even if you’ve been happily in love for ages, it can still feel like a battlefield at times. Once the newness of the relationship wears off, you might find yourself wishing for the “honeymoon” phase of the relationship to come back in full force. However, love doesn’t come without challenges and uphill battles, of course, and it tends to fluctuate between falling in love with the person all over again, and wanting to pull their hair out at times.
Love normally works in stages, and this guide will help you get clarity on which stage of love your relationship may be currently in…
Which of the 5 levels of love are you on? (Comment below and let us know!)
Stage 1: Falling Head Over Heels
In this stage, you’ll feel like a love-struck teenager who just can’t get enough of his/her love interest. You talk to this person every chance you get. Even then, it still doesn’t feel like enough. You spend all night talking on the phone, and text throughout each day. You plan fun adventures to go on, have deep conversations, laugh about silly things, and realize that you feel totally comfortable around this person. They awaken something within you that makes you feel alive, free, and happy. You decide to go on a date, and that first date easily turns into a second one. You’ve fallen for this person, and hard. You wouldn’t have it any other way, though.
Stage 2: Growing Closer
During this second stage, you will have an even deeper bond with your partner. While you might’ve moved past the “honeymoon” phase, you still totally adore your partner, and enjoy learning new things about him/her. You might even talk of marriage or moving in together, to solidify your bond even further. Your world revolves around them, and vice versa. This stage represents moving from falling in love to being in love, where you can rest your bones and know that you have someone special waiting at home for you. In the beginning, you didn’t know which way things would lead, but now you’ve gotten your answer, and life never felt so good until now.
Stage 3: Uncertainty
After years or even just a few months together, you might lose sight of what made you fall in love in the first place. The newness wore off long ago, but will your love endure the harsh grip of reality? During this stage, most couples decide to either make it or break it, as they likely fight more often than in the beginning of the relationship. Life begins to take over, and the daily stresses can quickly wear down any relationship. Passing this stage allows you to grow stronger together as a couple, but of course, breaking it off can mean a whole new chapter for both of you. Fate lies in your hands, but no matter the choice you make here, one made from the heart can never lead you astray.
Stage 4: Repair and Renew
During this stage, you figure out what went wrong in your relationship in stage 3, and work on mending the issues. You don’t want these same problems creeping up again later. So you’ve decided to work on them now. You realize that both of you have imperfections, and learning to use these as tools for growth will do wonders for your relationship down the road. You once saw your mate as perfect, so what happened between then and now? Of course, we sometimes let our expectations get in the way of reality, so once you can accept each other’s flaws and work together as a team again, you can move on to the next stage.
Related article: 6 Things You Should Stop Doing To Your Partner To Make Them Feel Ugly
Stage 5: Peace and Acceptance
In this final stage, you’ve been to hell and back with your mate, and you know that through the thick and thin, they will stay by your side. You don’t have to pretend with them, or hold back any part of your personality. You can enjoy the world with him or her, and know that at the end of the day, they will have their hearts and arms open for you to rest your soul in.
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