Signs You Are Dating the Wrong Person

We have all been there, you meet someone that you think you have a connection with and then within a short amount of time, you end up in a relationship. At first, the relationship is the best thing happening in your life, but you soon realize that you made a big mistake. The person you are dating is not who you thought they were, and you have realized you are dating the wrong person. Recognizing the warning signs that you are dating the wrong person early can help you avoid a potentially unhealthy relationship.

Acting Differently

You go on the first three dates and your potential partner seems like they are everything you have been looking for. However, after the initial courting period is over, the person turns out to be a completely different person. This problem is common in the dating world as many of us are on our best behavior during the initial courting phase. If your partner starts acting different, it may be a sign that s/he may not be the perfect match. When we feel comfortable in a relationship, we often go back to our old routines, which may or may not be appealing to our potential long-term partner.

Doesn't Respect Your Friends

Your friends were there for you before the relationship and will be there for you long after the relationship ends. In all healthy relationships, couples realize the importance of friends outside of the relationship. As long as the friendships are not harmful to your health or relationship, both you and your partner should respect them. A clear warning sign that your partner is not right for you is if they try to distance you from your friends. This type of behavior is manipulative, and can be harmful to you during and after the relationship.

No Ambition

Relationships are great for encouragement through the success and motivation of your partner. In a New York Times Article titled "Analyzing the Marriage Gap (2004) married men earned a higher wage than their unmarried counterparts. The study done for that article showed that men that are committed typically earn a higher salary because they are deemed as harder working or more committed, although this may not necessarily hold true. When your partner is unmotivated, it brings both of you down financially and emotionally. If you are with someone who has no motivation to work or move up in the work force, then you could be dating the wrong person.

Controlling

Partners that are deemed as controlling typically want you all to their selves and want to monitor your activities. Controlling partners start out by keeping tabs on everything you do and can later, in certain occasions, result in physical abuse. If your partner is controlling as does not let you think for yourself as an individual, then you will want to get out of that relationship as quick as possible. From my experience, I have found that talking to a controlling partner sometimes changes the behavior and avoids a bad breakup.

Sources:

Personal experience

http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~hal/people/hal/NYTimes/2004-07-29.html