Who doesn’t want a fairytale romance or a Hallmark happy ending? While it’s nice to fantasize about the “perfection” of love, most of us realize those things don’t exist in real life. Unfortunately, there are some common myths about love that can also create unrealistic expectations.
Whether it’s an old saying, handed-down advice from grandparents, or even societal stereotypes, some myths about love can do more harm than good, and could damage your relationships if no one can meet your unrealistic standards.
Let’s take a look at some of those common myths about love and how they can contribute to false fantasies.
Love Should Be Easy
If you think your relationship should be happy every day and you should never have any problems or disagreements…you’re wrong. Not only is that unrealistic, it’s also unhealthy.
Some of the happiest couples with the strongest relationships in the world argue quite frequently — they just know how to do it the right way.
When you try to get through your relationship without acknowledging any problems or working through them, there’s a good chance you’ll hold onto bitterness and maybe even resentment. Or, you’ll harbor hurt feelings that will eventually come out.
Love shouldn’t always be easy. It should be something worth fighting for. Love is honest, and sometimes the truth hurts, but if you truly care about someone, you’ll be willing to work through your issues with them.
You Should Always Be Physically Attracted to Your Partner
We love watching romantic comedies where the two main characters can’t keep their eyes (or hands) off each other. Maybe you even felt that way about your partner when you first started dating.
It’s good to have a physical attraction to your partner. You probably will, for the most part, for as long as you’re together. But, that doesn’t mean you’ll be attracted to them every second of every day. If you’re not, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost “the spark” and it doesn’t mean the magic is gone from your relationship. It’s important to understand that love is meant to be more than skin-deep. Some days, you might think your partner is the best-looking person on the planet. Other days, when they’re not at their best, you might not feel that physical pull — and that’s okay!
Learn to be attracted to who they are, as a person, and the physical side of things won’t matter as much.
Your Partner Will “Complete” You
We all know the famous line from Jerry Maguire, and it works really well in a movie when you’re trying to evoke drama on the screen.
We have lots of phrases and names for partners in relationships. You might call them your “other half” or even your better half. While it’s good to see your partner as an equal and even to feel like the complement you, don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re not whole without them.
Far too often, people lose their identities in relationships. When that happens, you can struggle with self-esteem or confidence issues, and you might not know who you are or what you would even do without your partner. So, while it’s good to balance each other out, be sure you’re always secure in your own identity.
There are so many more myths about love that can cause problems in relationships. It’s okay to fall in love with love and to have high standards and expectations. But, it’s not okay to hold yourself, your partner, or your relationship itself to an unrealistic standard that will do more harm than good. Consider some of these common myths, and if they might already be negatively impacting your relationship.
