I entered my first long-term relationship at the ripe age of 23 years old. Of course, when I was entering it, I didn't realize it was going to be long term, but well, here I am still in the same relationship a year-and-a-half later. So what differentiates a long-term relationship from a regular, short-lived one? What comes with a long-term relationship that doesn't come with a shorter fling?
A recent Reddit thread asked ladies to share the parts of long-term relationships that no one warned them about and the things they've experienced in long-term partnerships that they haven't experienced in other relationships. Read along and brace yourselves for the ride, my friends.
It requires vulnerability. Sex is vulnerable, allowing yourself to be comforted requires vulnerability, expressing how you feel about them requires you to be vulnerable.
I learned what deep love was and how much work it takes to get there. No one told me how intense yet stable this kind of love would be.
Both of you can drastically change in a short amount of time...multiple times. And then there's the dreaded "do we work it out or are we just too fundamentally incompatible at this point" talk... multiple times.
Still worth it if you have a partner in it for the long haul.
The transition from the honeymoon phase to the next level can be panic-inducing and confusing, especially when you don't have prior relationship experience. Sometimes it's difficult to tell if it's just the end of the honeymoon phase or the beginning of your break-up.
inevitably, your partner will get violently ill and you'll have to clean up the gross things that come out of them. you'll still want to bang them when they're feeling better
The fact that there will be points of stagnation in your life with them. It's not you or them, you just sometimes have periods where you don't jive as well or don't have the next thing to look forward to just yet. It's okay, those moments will come in waves, but make sure to still communicate through the stagnation and ensure you're both still okay with how things are.
Before my first boyfriend I never expected, or felt, how you can feel so jealous and maybe even insecure over something.
You start syncing in ways you didn't before. You react the same way to life, think the same things about people, take naps at the same time, etc.
How much is shared, and I don't mean regarding possessions. We share goals, experiences, emotions.
When one of us is upset the other person feels it. When we share a story with friends we bounce off of each other. We make decisions together. Having so much of our lives intertwined does cause a lot of comfort.
It really sucks when you're ready for marriage and your partner isn't. It's a true test of patience, understanding, and respect.
The sex getting better over the years.
Many people say things like "after a couple of months/years it will lose the thrill" and of course, sometimes there's routine kicking in or phases where you're just tired or sick or a hormonal hickup happens and you don't have it for a while. But I've yet to come at a point where I do not feel excited about it anymore and in fact, I think our sex life is better than when we were in the honey moon phase...
You will poop in front of each other at some point.
Great sex and pooping whenever you please? Long-term relationships sound like a dream if you ask me.
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