How to know when a relationship is toxic
When you’re in a relationship, you’d like to think that your partner is helping you to become the best person you can be. But this isn’t always the case. Your significant other’s attitudes, insecurities, or values could be preventing you from putting your best face forward. Here are eight signs your relationship is holding you back:
1. They don’t care about your goals
You should feel comfortable sharing your goals and aspirations with your S.O. He or she should be rooting for you the whole way, increasing your self-esteem. But if you find that your partner makes you doubt yourself, then that’s a red flag.
2. They point out your shortcomings
Is your partner always criticizing you? That’s a huge red flag. Instead of allowing your S.O. to shut you down, ask them what you’re doing well.
3. They’re resentful
Some men can’t deal with a woman’s success. He might dismiss all of your accomplishments to get a leg up in the relationship. At the end of the day, if your boyfriend can’t be proud of everything you’ve done, then you should ditch him.
4. They ask you to make significant sacrifices
Does your partner ask you to give up what you love doing the most, such as hanging out with friends or going for a jog in the mornings? This can be detrimental to your wellbeing. Everyone needs breathing room in a relationship. Remind your S.O. of how important your friends, routines, and hobbies are to you.
5. You’re starting to feel unhappy
When your relationship starts to interfere with your happiness, you know it’s time to ditch your S.O. If your performance at work has gone down, or you haven’t been able to pursue any of your hobbies, you need to confront your boyfriend. But both your S.O. and you need to be on board with you doing stuff outside of the relationship. If he’s not up for it, you should end things.
6. You both fight a lot
If you notice that you end up fighting a lot with your boyfriend, it’s time to reevaluate your relationship. This is especially true if he continually digs up stuff from the past. The goal of a relationship is to move both of you forward in a positive direction. You should consider couples counseling.
7. Your values aren’t the same
When your core values, such as career, money, family, and kids, don’t match up, it can spell out big trouble. To determine if you and your boyfriend are on the same page, each of you should list out your top five values. If you don’t share at least three of time, you should think about calling it quits.
8. They’re jealous
If your partner gets annoyed when you hang out with other people, that’s a red flag. Be open with your S.O. about who’s important in your life. If he can’t handle it, then suggest breaking off the relationship.
Don’t let your S.O. stand in the way of your dreams
Bottom line: if you notice that you’re feeling underappreciated in your relationship and generally unhappy, it’s time to reevaluate things. In a healthy relationship, you should feel one hundred percent supported all the time, and you should feel like you have enough space to pursue your interests. Whatever you do, don’t let your relationship hold you back!
