You meet someone who’s simply charming. You’re excited about this person and begin dating, spending more and more time together.
Everything is going great, except that your new partner slips into certain “bad habits” here and there. You can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.
Seemingly insignificant tendencies can be early indicators of greater issues that will rear their ugly head in time.
Honor your wellbeing by walking away from an unhealthy relationship sooner rather than later if your partner gives off the following red flags:
1. Your intuition nags you
Pay close attention to gut feelings that ask you to analyze your partner’s intentions, words, and actions more closely. Refrain from making excuses for this person just because you have strong feelings. Be honest with yourself and acknowledge when your partner isn’t acting in good faith or isn’t making you happy. Take divine signs seriously: it’s not an accident if you come across something that proves this person lied or isn’t who he says he is.
2. It’s complicated from the beginning
There is no perfect partner because everyone carries a bit of baggage (even you). That’s normal. What’s not normal is a person who hauls entire loads from their past into your present life. Your partner may have trust issues from past experiences, but his trust issues shouldn’t force you to prove your every move. If a relationship starts off this burdensome, it will only require more effort with time.
3. Won’t compromise
The couple that can’t compromise can’t survive. A person’s (in)ability to compromise quickly becomes evident. Your partner should be offering compromise freely at this point, and you should be taking turns giving in to each other. The fact that he doesn’t means the relationship will entail much sacrifice on your part.
4. Has mood swings
Steer clear of the person who veers to moody extremes because this will ruin your emotional stability. Your partner shouldn’t leave you exhausted by the end of the day! You become what you’re around, and if you’re exposed to anger, bitterness, or resentment, you might find yourself becoming a person you don’t want to be, riding an emotional roller coaster that will take a mental and physical toll on you.
5. Not generous
Generosity takes many forms, the most obvious being monetary. But a person must also be giving with his time, affection, advice, and good intentions. Stinginess, greediness, and egoism are serious red flags. While you shouldn’t expect to receive the world on a silver platter, you should expect your partner to offer help when you’re in genuine need.
6. Chronic infidelity
If you discover your new partner being disloyal from this early on, spare yourself the heartbreak and move along. Chances are that he was prone to dishonesty long before you and will continue to be this way throughout the relationship with you. Often we hope we can change people or mold their character, or that they will somehow be “different” with us than they’ve been in their past relationships. Then we experience deep disappointment when we realize that we can’t change anybody. He must change himself.
7. Treats others poorly
Be careful becoming too attached to the person who talks down to others, is rude without reason, or has negative relationships with family members. People who have problems with themselves often release them upon others, and these problems can’t be resolved until they look within and eliminate the real cause. Your partner may treat you nicely in the beginning, but the same issues he has with other people in his life will creep into your own relationship down the line.
