In today’s article, we will look at the stages of a relationship. Many people do not know that there are different stages in a relationship. So, if you have been wondering what stage you might be at, this article will enlighten you on that subject.
Many people have no idea what the stages of a relationship are, yet they are in one. On the other hand, they are familiar with the talking stage but are totally oblivious to the stages of a relationship, which in itself is a challenge. That’s the sad reality of things, which has produced many failed relationships.
Even love needs a game plan, which many people will not consider until they start a relationship. They feel everything will magically fall into place just because they are in love.
Some other people feel that challenges won’t be a part of the journey because they are in love. Love is essential for the different stages of a relationship to stand, but that’s not all there is. It is just a little fragment of a bigger picture. However, this has led to no small disaster in the dating world.
So, what are the stages of a relationship? Please allow me to share the different stages of a relationship with you. The reason is that knowledge is potential power, and I will tell you why the word “potential” is used later.
1. Honeymoon phase
One of the stages of a relationship is the honeymoon phase. This is the one many of us are familiar with because of its popularity among newly wedded folks. However, this exists even in other romantic relationships that haven’t reached the marriage stage yet. But many people think it is exclusive to married folks alone.
Many good feelings or emotions generally characterise this stage, so much so that you think your spouse can do no wrong. This is the power of the honeymoon phase.
Usually, in this stage, you are very much in love; it is almost like a drug you just discovered that makes you feel good. And you tend not to notice other people or even see the faults in your partner. In a nutshell, the level of attraction you have for each other is at its all-time highest.
In other words, this phase is the initial stage of any romantic relationship, often characterised by intense feelings of passion, love, and high levels of excitement. During this phase, which marks the start of a new journey for both partners, couples will always experience a heightened emotional connection, an intense sense of euphoria, and even infatuation.
It is mainly marked by frequent displays of intense physical attraction, almost like they are the most beautiful person that you have ever laid your eyes on or ever seen. It’s kind of like you cannot get enough of their beauty. Additionally, frequent displays of affection aren’t left out
The shyness to publicly display affection is mostly eradicated from both partners’ dictionaries. And lastly, a strong desire to spend time with each other is also a part of the equation.
This is how most people think the relationship will always be. But little do they know there are different phases of love relationships.
2. Power Struggle Stage
When you hear the words “power struggle stage,” what first comes to mind? A little bit of some struggle, right? This phase is essential no matter the challenges that may come because the outcome will define how things will be afterwards. In other words, it is safe to say that it will shape you and your partner into better versions of yourselves.
As you already know, there are different phases in a relationship, but the one thing about this phase is that there is bound to be some struggle.
The truth is that it is something we cannot run away from. Shockingly, we must pass this stage successfully to go to the next phase of the relationship. Unfortunately, failure to do so simply means it is the end of the road for both partners.
Some of the struggles we may likely encounter will fall into any of the categories of things I will briefly discuss.
We will most likely encounter the struggle to believe whether or not they are still the same person we fell in love with or another different person. In other words, are they the same person we were with in the honeymoon phase, or is this someone different? There are not many things that are certain in life. However, the one thing I am certain of is change. The question then becomes, what kind of change will that be? Will it be a positive or a negative one?
Another struggle we might encounter will be whether this person has always been like this or if I was blind to their flaws. Or better yet, you might ask yourself whether they were pretending the whole time.
However, it is not unusual for people to project the best version of themselves in the early phases of a relationship. Some of these thoughts will cross your mind, especially when the wind of challenges comes blowing.
The power struggle stage in a relationship takes place after the honeymoon phase. Very rarely do couples have serious issues in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. As I said earlier, you begin to see the differences in this phase, so much so that you question many things. The truth is, they have always been there, but you didn’t just pay attention to them all along.
It is also safe to say that the in-love experience I likened to a drug earlier has worn off in this stage of the relationship. On the other hand, conflicts and challenges aren’t left out also.
Furthermore, this stage of any relationship is highly characterised by individuals asserting their needs, boundaries, and preferences, which often lead to deep disagreements and tensions as they negotiate roles, expectations, and responsibilities.
It will interest you to know that it is normal. However, how you go about things will significantly determine the course of the relationship and your personal life. So, it is advised to tread carefully while negotiating roles, responsibilities, and even expectations.
We may want to raise our voices at our partners in such moments to communicate our message. Unfortunately, if we fail to communicate our thoughts or needs correctly, the challenges will persist and even produce more for the two of you.
While it is crucial to talk about these things, we must not allow our emotions to get the better of us. Otherwise, your relationship may not make it beyond this phase.
Lest I forget, expectations are like opinions, which means everyone has one or more things they expect from their partner. However, we must remember to give room for their humanity to play out because unrealistic expectations will only be to the detriment of the relationship’s health.
Again, it would be best to remember that the power struggle phase is critical for establishing or building healthy communication, mutual respect, trust, and compromise in the relationship.
3. Adaptation And Acceptance Phase
Among the stages of a love relationship, couples who get to the third stage don’t get there by luck. Many people like to look at successful relationships and think aww, they were so lucky to have made it this far. On the contrary, it wasn’t about luck. It was about intentionality, willingness to learn or unlearn negative things, forgiveness and a whole lot more.
At this stage, it doesn’t mean that the relationship is void of challenges. However, it does mean that both partners have made up their minds to navigate the complexities of their romantic relationship as a team.
We must come to terms with these facts; otherwise, your dream of being together will only be a dream and never your reality. This should tell you that there are levels of relationships, and your commitment will determine what level you move to next.
In this phase, it is predominately a time when couples learn to navigate and accept each other’s differences, imperfections, and quirks. It is only natural to do so because things like understanding will also play a part in the relationship’s success beyond the feeling of love you once felt.
So, in this adaptation and acceptance phase, a heightened sense of understanding, compassion, and empathy will be seen as partners become more comfortable with each other’s weaknesses and strengths.
It is worth noting that couples who have made it to this stage have developed effective communication skills, learned to compromise, and built a sense of mutual support, fostering a solid foundation for long-term commitment and growth as a team. Isn’t that all that we want?
4. Commitment
When it comes to the stages of a relationship, commitment speaks of giving your all and not holding anything back. This is the definition of true love for most people, and I couldn’t agree more with them. On the other hand, some people are scared of commitment, which explains why they never get to this stage. For such people, they run away when things get real and serious.
But what’s love without commitment? Many folks don’t realise that love and commitment go hand in hand. Sadly, the word “love” has been reduced to a mere feeling for many people.
This explains the numerous breakups witnessed in relationships in this era. They fail to understand that love is not just a feeling alone but also an action word. It is more of a choice to exercise daily instead of being relegated to feelings alone.
What’s a relationship without commitment, and how do people expect their relationships to stand without being committed? If only they knew these things, they would have approached things differently. Do you now see that even relationships need a game plan?
The commitment phase of a romantic relationship is when both partners decide to prioritise and invest in the long-term sustainability of their relationship.
This phase involves deepening physical, emotional, and often financial bonds and sharing a vision for their future. In this stage, the fear that usually comes in the power struggle phase has been successfully dealt with, and there is this certainty that this is where I would rather be or this is who I would rather be with than with anyone else.
Amazingly, in this phase, couples usually solidify their commitment through formal agreements such as marriage. Still, more importantly, they demonstrate their loyalty, dedication, and fidelity to each other through their decisions and actions. This is one of the most beautiful stages of a relationship.
5. Oneness
In the stages of a relationship, this happens to be the last, and not many couples make it this far. There are numerous reasons why most relationships don’t make it to this phase. Some of the reasons may be a lack of communication, difficulty understanding each other, trust issues, incompatibility, unrealistic expectations, and even fear of vulnerability.
In a romantic relationship, oneness is a term used to describe the deep sense of unity, intimacy, and connection between both spouses. As I said earlier, this is not a product of luck. Instead, it is a combination of dedication, effort, willingness to be open and vulnerable, and commitment to supporting each other’s growth through the stormy weather.
Additionally, it signifies an intense emotional bond where the two partners feel closely interconnected, understanding each other’s feelings, thoughts, and even experiences on a profound level.
Overall, achieving oneness involves vulnerability, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to support, nurture, and uplift each other, leading to a sense of being a unified team despite the numerous challenges that may have come over the years.
There are various relationship stages, so having read to this point, what stage are you in your relationship? Writing this aims to provide a framework for understanding the evolving dynamics and challenges couples encounter on their journey together. Remember, I said that knowledge is potential power.
This is because unused knowledge cannot produce any results. From the honeymoon phase to deepening emotional intimacy and commitment, each stage presents opportunities for growth, understanding and connection.
Ultimately, navigating these stages requires empathy, patience, and a shared commitment to building a solid foundation for a fulfilling and meaningful relationship.
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