Getting dumped sucks… there's no doubt about it. There aren't many things more heart-wrenching than finding out that the person you love thinks he will be better off without you. But this news can really make your guts fall on the floor when it comes completely out of left field.
If an "out-of-the-blue breakup" has happened to you in the past, I don't have to remind you of how much it hurts. But the good news is that I can show you how to make sure it never happens again. You see, the tell-tale signs of an inevitable breakup will always be there if you know what to look for.
And while there are many indicators that point to minor relationship problems, we're going to be looking at the big four which indicate that a breakup is very likely to happen in the near future.
Once you notice these signs, you can make the decision to address your issues before it's too late, or you can turn the tables and end the relationship first, on your terms.
Breakup Sign 1: Your partner starts distancing himself either physically or emotionally
The first red flag is any kind of distancing behavior, either physical or emotional. "Physical distancing" occurs when your partner seems to be making less and less time for you. All of a sudden, he may seem to be avoiding the typical "couple" activities you're used to doing together, such as watching American Idol, walking the dog, etc.
"Emotional distancing" is a more subtle, but much stronger indicator that things are heading south in your relationship. Have you noticed any changes in the way that your partner communicates with you, such as a lack of eye contact or a different voice tone? Have you noticed that most of your conversations are now boring and trivial? Does he avoid discussing future plans for the two of you? These are all good signs that your partner's emotional investment in the relationship is starting to rapidly deteriorate.
Breakup Warning Sign #2: Your partner makes big changes to his daily routine
One of the most obvious signs of a troubled relationship is when your partner has rearranged his entire schedule in order to spend less time with you. Now, sometimes a promotion at work, for instance, might be to blame but if you find that he's consistently stuck at the office until the wee hours of the morning, there might be something else going on there.
Breakup Warning Sign #3: Your partner spends time with a new group of friends.
If his new crew consists of a bunch of happily married, church-going choir boys who wake up early on Sundays to take their children to little-league, you probably won't have much to worry about. But if they happen to be a bunch of hardcore party-boys who bring your man home drunk and stumbling on a Wednesday morning, you have every reason to be alarmed.
The bottom line is that our friends have more influence over us than we might think, so beware when your man starts hanging out with a bunch of womanizing ex-cons who are prone to nosebleeds and take frequent "business" trips to Macedonia.
Do you agree?
