People in relationships will all tell you that there are plenty of expectations thrust upon you throughout your relationship. The weird thing is, these expectations come from all forms of media in the modern world. It's a combination of news outlets reporting on celebrity couples, relationships seen in films, books, and so on. We're constantly shown the same ideas and concepts, leading to a few unrealistic expectations. Consequently, you view your relationship through this warped lens, often leading to mistakes.
Well, it's time to unpack some of the most unrealistic relationship expectations seen in the media, giving you a better view of how to act in your relationship.
You need to be married with kids before you're 30
This is something you grow up thinking, and it's not until you're in your 20s that you realize how silly it is. In fairness, it stems from the older generations getting married and having children much earlier than we do today. But, this stereotype is often reinforced throughout the media, leading couples to jump the gun and get married far too early. Lots of couples become engaged and start families because they feel the time is running out when it really isn't. As a result, this leads to unhappy relationships, which moves us perfectly on to the next point!
Getting a divorce is frowned upon
For something so common in modern society, getting divorced is strangely frowned upon. It's almost painted as this idea of failure when really it's no different from breaking up as a non-married couple. The only difference is the legality behind it as you need a divorce attorney and there's a whole process to go through. Other than that, the act of getting divorced is just where two parties decide they aren't well-matched for one another anymore. It's an admission of a mistake, but it's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. You often see people highlighted in the news for getting divorced, with many celebrities who are almost known for how many divorces they've had! Realistically, there's nothing wrong with getting divorced if you feel it will benefit both your mental states as well as the lives of any children.
You need to put labels on your relationship
The idea of attaching labels to a relationship is so strongly reinforced throughout all forms of media. When two people are together, one has to be the boyfriend and the other the girlfriend. Then, you're pressured into changing those labels into husband or wife. People find it weird if you have a relationship with no labels where you're just happy together and enjoy one another's company romantically. If the two of you are happy not putting labels on anything, then there's no reason to cave to society's expectations!
As you read through this post, you've probably thought of dozens of other unrealistic expectations shown in the media. The best relationship advice for any couples out there is to focus on yourself. Don't look at other couples, don't pay attention to any agendas in the media - just do what feels right for your relationship.
