What is a "serious" relationship?
By lena2000
@lena2000 (2392)
Belgium
March 3, 2007 4:42am CST
My friend and I were talking and she and I have two totally differnt point of views on this topic.
What do YOU think a "serious" relationship is?
To her it's when two people have been together for 9 months to a year.
To me it's when two people have been together for 6 months or more.
I also asked the same question to my boyfriend and his reply was:
"I think it is 2 people who truely love each other and are planning on being together for a long time and when it seems right not like a short relationship you dont think you can be in forever also the key word EXCLUSIVE"
So, I ask again... what do all of you see as a "serious relationship"?
2 people like this
10 responses
@wendy82 (437)
• United States
4 Mar 07
To me a serious relationship is when you and your partner have been going together a long time. That you are deeply in love with your partner. That you are making the commitment. That you are truly faithful and open and honest to one another. That you know that he is your soulmate and that you want to settle down and get married, have kids and live together.
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
3 Mar 07
A serious relationship is when to people love each other and have made a commitment to be with only each other. No dating or seeing anyone else. They are opena nd honest about their feelings and are ready to go tot he next level.
Alot of relationships take longer than 6 to 9 months to become serious. It took my current husband and I two years to become serious.
1 person likes this
@lena2000 (2392)
• Belgium
4 Mar 07
I agree that I think it's much more about the level of commitment than the length of time you've been together. My bf and I got serious very early on; as soon as we became a couple it just felt so right that we both knew we wanted it to last forever.
But because people outside the relationship can't really see the seriousness, until you're getting engaged for example, I think how long you've been together is one of the main signs that other people see. I remember thinking when my bf and I had our first anniversary that I liked that it would be clearer now to other people that we're serious about each other, because of the length of time we'd been together.
@greenmango (1019)
• Philippines
4 Mar 07
When you are ready to give your name to someone you Love That is serious to me.
@lena2000 (2392)
• Belgium
3 Mar 07
A serious relationship is one that you have decided to devote the rest of your life to. In that person, you have found everything you ever wanted in another. You are serious. You want it to go to that proverbial there, to marriage, children...
An exclusive relationship is something else. It means no one else belongs in the picture as long as you are in it, but how long you would be in it is still the question. A commited relationship only speaks for the moment, that you are commited to each other to make the relationship work, but for how long, who knows? Where is the relationship going, who knows, the relationship isn't serious?!
@enchantedleppard (1541)
• United States
3 Mar 07
There is no time cap that you can put when describing what a serious relationship is. My boyfriend and I were serious very early on in our relationship. My thought is when you start talking about more important subjects, such as marriage, children, finances, etc is when you're in a serious relationship. Its commitment. And not exclusive commitment because like the above commenter said, some people have an open relationship.
1 person likes this
@lena2000 (2392)
• Belgium
4 Mar 07
I don't think you can measure a serious relationship by time, but rather by the level of committment. It is when you are both exclusive and planning on staying together a long time, planning and devoting yourselves to building a life together.
After 9 months I think you would have a good idea whether it was a serious relationship, but just being together 9 months does not make it serious.
@franxexces (1096)
• Philippines
4 Mar 07
For me it doesn't really matter on how long have you been together.. me and my boyfriend have been together for 3 months and we are in a serious relationship. Serious because we both love each other and we are afraid to lose each other. I'm not complete without him and vice versa. Your relationship is serious when your loyal, affectionate and most of all sincere with each other. Also, when the guy has plans of marrying you.
@simran1430 (1790)
• India
4 Mar 07
A serious relationship is one in which both parties are working towards the possibility of eventually getting married .This would involve planning a future together: living together, sharing bills and sleeping space, helping each other with work or school, keeping promises made to each other, accomadating each other, making common plans, taking care of each other when ill, and so on. In a phrase, mutual love and support.
@chloe9013 (532)
•
3 Mar 07
I wouldn't even say exclusive in the key as there are serious couples who are also swingers.
I would say a serious relationship is when you are mentally commited to the other person. aka, in love and see it as a forever relationship. And yes exclusivity unless otherwise agreed.
I also dont think there has to be a set number of months before you can call it serious; I consider me and my fella serious, and have only been official a month and we already see it as a full commitment to each other.
@uniquesoul (230)
• Canada
4 Mar 07
I think a serious relationship is when both partners are sure they are each other's happiness not all the time will relationship be serious at the same time it is when the couples it's self realize's the love they have for each other and move on with themseleves together no time frame needed it could be ten day's 2 weeks a month...It all depends on the partners comfort level....
@ipisman (144)
• Philippines
4 Mar 07
I think there are two types:
1) you are dating exclusively (not seeing anyone else) for a period of time. You see each other regularly. You call him your boy/girlfriend. People invite you to dinner as a couple. You are intimate, on some level. You would not say that you are "dating" this person
2) 2) all of the above and also planning for the future. You entertain the possibility of marriage, even if you think that it's far off. You meet each other's families.You find out if you want the same same things out of life or not.
