It’s not easy to be young, full of natural romantic feelings (often amplified by the songs, movies and literature) with nobody to lavish them on. So, when you found someone who was as crazy about you as you were about them, you decided to date in spite of suggestions that you should delay dating.
However, months (or even years) into the relationship, you’re wondering whether you should break it off. Here are 4 tell-tale signs that it’s time to end that relationship.
- You’re forcing yourself to be with her: It started as a crush or a heady infatuation, and you felt the natural thing to do was date. Unfortunately, you’ve realised that feelings are fickle and crushes have a short lifespan. There’s no need to remain stuck in a relationship you were better off never entering in the first place. If you have to psyche yourself up just to spend time with someone, or you have to make yourself feel good about being in their company, it’s time to break up.
- He’s hurting you: Any form of abuse, be it emotional, verbal or physical, is a red flag. If the person you’re dating is constantly hurting you, belittling you, making you feel bad about yourself, insulting you or beating you, you need to get out FAST!
- He’s putting pressure on you: It may be pressure to engage in sexual activity when you don’t want to, or visit places you’d rather not go to, or pressure to abandon your spiritual beliefs and values. Whatever the case may be, YOU DON’T HAVE TO. You have a right to be who you are. If they’re changing you and you don’t like the person you’re becoming, it’s time to call it quits.
- She’s distracting you: You used to be a straight-A student and now you struggle to get B’s. Instead of studying you spend your time with your date, and when you’re not together you sit around waiting for a call or a message, looking at pictures, daydreaming, and generally being preoccupied with your feelings. Or it could be that they’re calling or pinging too much, wanting to hang out more than you can cope with, and generally choking you to the point that you have little time for anything else. That’s not the way for any teenager who wants to make it in life to spend their time. You’re better off having many friends of both sexes instead of being in a committed relationship; romantic relationships tend to require time, and that shouldn’t be your priority for now.
This is the morning of your life. Don’t abuse it. Be wise!