Unrealistic Relationships

We see it all over television and the internet. This idea of a perfect love, a “happily ever after.” But how realistic can it all be?

As a whole, society tends to have this idea of what a relationship should look like. We cling to the idea that our soulmate is waiting out there for us. All the imagery of guys always surprising girls with flowers and huge gestures can actually bring us down. We are exposed at a very young age, and it ultimately sets us up for failure. Here’s why:

While romance is nice and sometimes necessary, it is not a realistic idea to have the couple being perfectly happy all the time, or always making the right choices, or always saying the right thing. The truth is, people mess up. It’s life, we are all human. Thinking that you can get around having conflict in a relationship is very unrealistic. Conflict is not only necessary, but it is helpful. Without any communication, what else do you have? Just two people coexisting. For any relationship for that matter, whether it be a friend or romantic, communication is key. Is it always easy to be open about what you are feeling? No. Is it worth it? Yes.

Another unrealistic expectation (commonly seen in young women) is that their partner should be buying them gifts, taking them on dates, and surprising them with all these cute things. It seems that social media makes things like this worse. When another couple shares pictures or posts about their date or what they did for one another, it can bring the viewer down. It gives a false idea of what the said relationship is like. This does not mean we should not share our cool experiences online, it just means we need to teach teens and young adults that no relationship is perfect, despite what you see on social media. The unrealistic idea can hurt their overall relationship because if their partner does not live up to these expectations, they could become upset.

We need to teach that love is not in the material things, or in what you can share online. It is simply about you and the other person and how you treat one another. Yes, it is okay to spoil each other as often as you would like, but that is not the extent of things. Those gestures should also not just be expected. If you focus on each other over anything else, you both will be happier. Also, the less you compare your relationship to another, the better off you will be. Remember that everyone is different, and your relationship is between you and your partner.