Getting into a new relationship takes a lot of work, courage, trust, and practicing of boundaries.

These days many people tend to jump into a new relationship unencumbered by any past traditions from our parents or grandparents such as waiting for marriage to have sex.

We can tend to spend a lot of time together, have a lot of sex at the beginning, start living together…

Like I said at the start, there is going to be some work involved to keep a relationship happy and healthy.

A concept that can be helpful is to understand the difference between an ‘Open’ vs ‘Closed’ relationship style.

In a closed relationship, partners tend to spend too much time together, not seeing friends, not continuing to do activated or hobbies like they used to. Partners look to each other to fulfill them and make them happy. This kind of relationship will ultimately suffocate from smothering each other and eventually fail.

A healthy relationship style is an open relationship (not open as in polyamorous). This kind of dynamic allows each person to be their own person who has friends they see, activities they attend, hobbies they enjoy. This kind of relationship will allow each person to be happy within themselves separate from their significant other. This will bring happiness and positivity into the relationship from which the relationship will feed. The result will be a stronger, happier, healthier couple.

Now I believe that to be successful in having an open relationship trust needs to be built and good communication is key.

Trusting someone is something that develops over time. I do not think it is healthy to completely trust someone right away that you just met or just began dating.