1. Social Media Debut
This has become an unfortunate topic of discussion in most millennial and even older adult relationships. How and if you will introduce your lack of singleness to the world is now done through pictures and captions on social media. The best way to figure out this obstacle is by discussing it and getting on the same page. Do you want your relationship displayed online? If so, how much? Is the expectation that both people will equally post things about their relationship, or is it okay for one or the other to do it more? The best way to figure this one out is to find common ground and go with what you both agree upon.
2. The Case of the Ex
Oftentimes when you get in a new situation you will need to take the time to address any lingering situations you may have had going on with other people before you got in your new relationship. Sometimes old lovers will take it upon themselves to pop back up in your life when they see that you have moved on. Hopefully you and your partner have established a level of trust so that when this happens you are able to address the issue in a non-confrontational way.
3. Having Your Own Time
When you are in the honeymoon phase you want to spend every second with your partner, but as time goes on it’s important to still find time to continue doing the things that you enjoyed doing before you got in a relationship. This includes spending time with friends, family and yourself. It is important to figure out early on how to balance your time with each other and apart so that nobody feels neglected or smothered.
4. Introducing Friends
Friendships come in all shapes and sizes, and the dynamic of those relationships can come into question once a person is in a relationship. Some friendships are only acceptable to have when you aren’t getting serious with a partner especially when they are former lovers or the opposite sex and others are just plain difficult to maintain depending on the context in which you and your friends spend your time. It is important to identify the friends that you can keep that will help your relationship thrive and the ones you may have to create distance from. You know they say people in your life are there for a reason, season or lifetime. When you are ready to settle down with a person it is imperative to start identifying which bucket your friends fall into.
5. Money, Politics and Religion
This is something two people looking to build a life together MUST discuss early on in their relationship. These are topics that tend to be deeply rooted in the fundamentals that a person is grounded in. When two people don’t see eye to eye on any of these topics it can be very difficult to proceed. The earlier you figure out where you and your partner stand the better. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a person all to find out down the road you don’t share the same values or feelings on things that matter so much to you.