Many people aspire to date up because they want to be better and to have whoever they're dating advance their lives. Dating down is a big no for many. If you're dating down and you're not comfortable with it, you can see that you are settling.
Here are 6 signs you are settling with your partner in your relationship.
1. Thinking You’re Settling
You know what they say about ever thinking or doubting whether someone loves you. If you doubt or wonder whether someone loves you, there's a very high chance that they don't. The same applies here. If you ever wonder whether you're settling, there's a very high chance that you are, because if you weren't, you wouldn't even conceive of that thought in the first place.
If you were dating someone you truly love and were satisfied with, you would have no room for such a thought. Why are you even thinking about it in the first place? Why are you second-guessing yourself? It means there is something wrong.
Instincts are strong, and most of the time, they are telling us the right things to do. They are always trying to put us in check, but of course, we are stubborn and don't even listen to our instincts.
If your instincts are telling you that you are settling for this person, there's a very high chance that you are okay, because if you weren't, you would be busy enjoying your relationship with this person that you wouldn't even consider or think that you are settling for them.
2. Feeling You Deserve Someone Better
Loving someone and being with them are decisions. Truth is, there are several other people out there who are better looking and richer than your date - people who are better than your date in many ways, but you chose to be with this person for a reason. They become your best in that moment, and that's where contentment comes in.
You are okay with this person. It doesn't mean that you don't see their flaws or their inadequacies, but you choose to be with them and turn a blind eye to all of those things that could be wrong with them.
If you are constantly looking out for those inadequacies, constantly pointing them out, and feeling that you could be with someone better, then you are most likely settling.
3. Constantly Comparing Your Relationship
Perhaps your relationship isn't the best, but instead of trying to figure things out, you're always comparing it to others'. You look at your friends and say, "Oh, they're doing way better than you. They have better relationships." If you're a woman, you might say, "Oh, their boyfriends are the best in the world." If you're a man, you might say, "Oh, your friends' girlfriends are way better than yours."
You're always looking for something to compare, and that is not cool. It means you're not okay with what you have. It means you feel you're better than what you have, and when you feel that, it means you're settling.
4. Not Being Proud of Your Partner
Everybody is proud of something good. If you have something great, you want the whole world to know about it. You would want to show them off to your friends and even to strangers. But if you're settling, you won't be so proud of them.
You would want to hide them from the world because you feel they are not your best. Are you constantly hiding your date from your friends or family? That's a huge sign that you're settling.
5. Not Seeing Them in Your Future
If you can't picture yourself with that person five years from now, it means they are not for the long haul. Being in a serious relationship with someone you don't see in your future is a waste of time. Someone who is happy with their partners will make long-term plans with them because they are doing life together.
6. Staying Because You’re Afraid to Be Alone
You're scared of being single, of being all by yourself. You shouldn't be with somebody just because you don't want to be alone. It's better to be alone and happy than to be with somebody who makes you sad.
Sometimes we find ourselves settling into a relationship without even realizing it. Initially, we thought this person would be the best for us, but then we begin to realize that this person isn't all that we thought they were. Now that you know better, you can take a step that’s in your best interest.