When in a serious relationship there are always signs when it is going well. You are happy, blissful, and feel so in love. These signs are fantastic, but it is important to look out for the signs that may mean it is not going so well. During my two long-term relationships I always knew when things were great, but I avoided the signs in front of me that were signaling the beginning of the end. Avoiding these signs only put off the inevitable, and lead to more hurt.

When I was dating my second boyfriend, Max, we stopped calling each other a few months before we broke up. Slowly, over time, we no longer felt the need to call each other and just waited until we saw each other next to talk. A relationship can’t survive on texting. It is so important to keep calling, keep talking, and keep strengthening your relationship. If you don’t feel the need to call your partner, it may signal that the love is starting to fade.

If you don’t feel that you can talk to your partner about important decisions in life such as, where you want to live, how you want to raise a family, and what you want your future to look like, that is definitely a sign that something is wrong. In a serious relationship, you need to be able to have these important and life changing conversations. If you can’t have serious conversations, how can you expect to actually live a life together?

I did this all the time with Max and Sam. Whenever something was bothering me towards the end I would never tell them. Things were already tense and I didn’t want to add anymore strain on the relationship. I should have taken this as the signal to move on. In a relationship you need to be able to tell your partner what is bothering you. Constantly fearing a fight isn’t healthy and usually signals it is time to let go.