The reason why a lot of people do not enjoy bliss in their relationships is because they go into the relationship without being ready.
Being in love with a person is not enough grounds to go into a relationship with the person.
A lot of people who regret being in a relationship today were once head-over-heels in love with their partners.
Relationships are not a walk in the park.
It takes hard work and intentionality to sustain a relationship and build something that will last.
If you are not ready to work, it is best not to enter the relationship.
You must also do all your homework before entering a relationship so that you will not encounter fruitless efforts.
You can put all the intentionality and effort into building your relationship, and it will still yield zero results because you are not doing it with the right person.
So, before entering a relationship, you need to do your homework and be certain that your partner is someone you can walk and build with.
Then there are things you need to sort out in yourself.
You’ll need to take off some things and pick up other things if you want to be your best in your relationship.
Let’s consider in detail the things you need to sort out if you want to have a healthy and fulfilling relationship.
8 Things to Sort Before You Go into a Relationship
1. Understand Your Own Needs and Wants
You can’t possibly go into a relationship without knowing what it is that you want.
And it is not just what you want from the relationship.
You need to know what your needs and wants are in life.
You would need to communicate your needs to your partner, but before you can even do that effectively, you must understand them yourself.
What do you need in life?
What do you need from the relationship?
How is the relationship supposed to make your life better, or help you achieve your life goals?
Whether you like it or not, your relationship will definitely affect your life.
Your choices, your routine, your activities.
Your relationship can either make or mar your life.
But knowing what you want in life and in a relationship will save you the hassle of entering a relationship that does not align with your personal goals and values.
2. Establish Your Boundaries
It is very necessary that you know how to draw the line in your life and are able to decide what crosses the line and what does not.
And you can only do this after you’ve sorted the first thing which is knowing what you want.
When it comes to your relationship, you should be able to know what you can tolerate and what is too much for you to handle.
You should set physical, emotional, and social boundaries.
It is very necessary if you are looking to build a healthy relationship.
And, it is one thing to set these boundaries and another to be able to communicate them clearly to your partner.
Your partner should know your limits from the beginning of the relationship.
Trying to set boundaries in the middle of a relationship is usually more difficult and causes unnecessary drama.
But if you sort out your boundaries at the beginning of a relationship, your partner can decide then and there whether you can work together.
You can also walk through compromises and adjustments together.
3. Work on Personal Growth
“What do you bring to the table?” is a legit concern.
Because nobody wants to be in a relationship with someone who is going to be a burden.
Or someone who wouldn’t add to their lives positively.
So before you get on to find a relationship, work first on your personal growth.
Fix your esteem issues if you’re struggling with any past baggage that may be weighing you down.
Pursue your hobbies and personal interests.
Do things that keep you happy and content with yourself.
Pursue your personal goals and succeed at them.
The more successful you are, the more attractive you’ll be to your partner and the more value they’ll place on you.
As you continuously develop yourself, you become a better person for yourself and for your partner.
And you’ll also reduce the chances of getting into a relationship that does not align with your person.
4. Financial Stability
There was a time when financial stability was a man’s thing.
But we’re long past that era.
Someone once told me that their partner was demanding financial help from them when they couldn’t even afford it.
It is a problem if you carry yourself into a relationship when you are not financially stable.
Like, you can’t comfortably handle your own needs.
You have no business being in a relationship.
It is partially true that love does not cost a thing, but financial stability can reduce a lot of potential stress in a relationship.
If you are unable to take care of your own financial needs, you will be entering the relationship as a burden to someone else.
And sometimes, the person may not even have enough for two.
But even if the person has enough for two, having your own money increases the respect and value that is placed on you.
If two people coming together have just enough to take care of their personal needs, they can combine their earnings to be able to take care of their needs as a couple.
5. Know Your Communication Style
Another thing you must sort out before getting into a relationship is your communication style.
You cannot possibly escape communication if you want to have a successful relationship.
Even in your day to day life and interactions with people, communication skills are very important.
So you want to know what style of communication works best for you.
Are you the type who likes to discuss everything clearly and concisely, or does body language work just fine for you?
Do you need to talk things out immediately, or do you prefer to take some time to process your thoughts?
Knowing your communication style will help you find a partner with a compatible communication style or at least make you aware of potential areas of improvement should you decide to be with someone who is not compatible with you in communication.
It will also help you handle conflicts and build a strong relationship with your partner.
6. Be Ready to Compromise
Relationships do not work when people are not ready to make compromises.
A healthy relationship requires a balance of give and take.
If the relationship is to work, both partners must be ready to shift ground a little here and there, make adjustments, accommodate each other’s excesses, and compensate for each other’s insufficiencies.
If you are the type who likes to stick to your stance and not change your mind about anything, you won’t fare very well in your relationship.
It doesn’t mean that you have to change your values or give up your needs.
But you must be willing to find a middle ground that works for both parties.
The goal of putting things in place before entering a relationship is not perfection but to be prepared and aware.
Relationships are a beautiful aspect of life, and you want to enjoy it as much as possible.
With the right preparation, you can.
The trouble is, we’re always in a rush.
There’s really no reason to rush into a relationship.
If is unnecessary.
Take the time to sort these things out, and you’ll be better equipped to build something meaningful that will give you the peace of mind you so desire and deserve.