Successful relationships are built on a foundation of mutualism, balance, and commitment – two people working together for the greater good. In many instances though, only one member of the relationship is putting forth an effort. If you feel like you’re the only one working on your marriage, you may be in a one-sided relationship. Let’s take a closer look at the signs of one-sided relationships and what you can do to create a balance in your marriage moving forward.
You Are The Only Person Making A Compromise
The term “compromise” implies that both parties in the transaction are willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the relationship as a whole. If you are the only one making sacrifices though, you may be in a one-sided relationship. There may be times where you are in fact the only person changing in the relationship, but there should be times when your spouse is changing as well.
You Give Up Quickly In Fights
Have you ever apologized early on in an argument just to make it stop? This tactic may be necessary from time to time, but you shouldn’t apologize every time you get into an argument. That is a sign of a defeated person, which is common in one-sided relationships. You’re tired of being the only one fighting for the marriage, and you give up for the sake of keeping peace in the household.
You Hold In Your Feelings
If you find yourself holding in your feelings and emotions, you are at risk of exploding later on. In fact, you may have already experienced multiple meltdowns in your marriage as a result of your emotional bottling. You may do this as a way to protect yourself, or you may simply keep your opinions to yourself because you feel like they won’t make a difference in your relationship. The latter is a warning sign that you are in a one-sided relationship.
Your Love Isn’t Reciprocated
Is the love you show your spouse returned? Do you feel that he or she loves you just as much as you love him or her? One-sided relationships are not just one-sided from a compromise and argument perspective. The actual love that you extend to your spouse may only be one-sided also. Think about how often your spouse says “I love you,” not as a response to you but purely on his or her own. If this expression is only used as a response to you, your feelings in the relationship may not be as balanced as they seem.
How To Deal With A One-Sided Relationship
If you are in a one-sided relationship, check out the second part of this guide where we explain how to fix a one-sided relationship.