Love Is Tough: Nine Things They Don’t Tell You About Being In A Relationship

Disney has really set the majority of us ladies up for some serious romantic disappointments. We’ve grown up with fairytale romances where every girl finds her Prince Charming and they live happily ever after. Well what Disney doesn’t tell us is that Sleeping beauty and Prince charming hit some bumps along the way, and as for Belle and the beast, they split on numerous occasions due to her wandering eye, and his wandering hands… What we’re trying to say here is that relationships are not all fun and games. Here are the nine things that your mother forgot to tell you about being in a relationship.   1. Love Is Tough We’ve heard of tough love, but love being tough, that is something completely different. Being in a relationship isn’t all candle light dinners and romantic gestures; it is hard work, no pun intended. Sacrifices and compromises have to be made. Life changes when you want to share it with someone else, and often these changes take some getting use to, but if you love them, you’ll work through it.   2. The Honeymoon Period Aw, the first few months starting out in a relationship… Look at them, they’re so in love (or so they think). The honeymoon period can be extremely deceiving, both parties are yet to really reveal themselves, and are still caught up in the initial stages of falling in love. Just wait until the honeymoon comes to the abrupt end. 3. Cheating Is Easy… Wow, there now before you get all worked up thinking we’re condoning infidelity, we certainly are not, but what we are admitting to is, cheating is easy. And ladies, it much easier for us to cheat than it is for the opposite sex… Temptation is everywhere; it just takes a strength of character to resist it.   4. Take A Break From Each Other Spending too much time together is not always healthy, trust us, we’re speaking from experience. The day you decide sending 5 messages during work is a little too much and opt for 2, is the day the doubts may start. Make sure you still meet with the girls, and have a life other than your love life. 5. The 7-Year Itch We’re not referring to the famous 1950’s movie starring Marilyn Monroe or an STI (not yet anyway), this is phrase given to the time in a relationship where your eyes begin to wander and your feet begin to itch. There really is no time limit on this ‘itch’, it can happen at any stage along the way. But fret not, it’s not all doom and gloom folks, the moment can pass. If you can't manage to resist the urge to scratch and mess up a perfectly good relationship for a fleeting moment of passion… Listen, we all make mistakes.   6. You’ve Got Nothing To Prove So your best friend and her fella can’t keep their hands of each other, and yourself and himself are the complete opposite, don’t worry about it. Public displays of affection PDA, sicken the majority of the population, being in love is great, being public about it is not so great. More often than not the strongest relationships are the ones kept private. If you’re happy that is all that matters. 7. If You Don’t Look Like Each It’s Never Going To Work… We don’t know who is responsible for these claims but don’t worry if you’re looking at your partner and you don’t see yourself, you’re grand… And if you live by the ‘opposites attract’ myth, stop doing it, couples must have things in common in order to get along. There is no couple that do not share some sort of similar interests, so don't be put off if he likes The Notebook too!   8. 'The Lads' Are Important ‘Lads night out’, may strike fear into the newly filled with love hearts of many women round the country, but it really should not be a big deal. The lads were there before you came along and if anything were to ever happen between the two of you, it would be nice to think the lads will still be there to offer their support. Contrary to belief, men can get their hearts broken too you know. (Her.ie is an office full of heart breakers), and if you trust him you have nothing to worry about. 9. Sometimes Love Is Not Enough There is a reason that love is one of the most written about subjects, just look at every successful Taylor Swift album. You may feel in love, but if you spend more time reaching for the Kleenex than you do reaching for his hand, then it is time to move on. Relationships are difficult, but they’re also absolutely great, and if your partner doesn’t make you feel like you’re the greatest thing since chocolate spread, then it is time to accept, that sometime love just is not enough.