4. A lack of respect and mutual support of each other’s differences.
The well-known saying that opposites attract is true — and it’s not.
This idea is often confusing and leads to misunderstandings. Many happy couples don’t have much in common, and others who are very much alike have problematic relationships.
The key to success is less about shared interests, which is clearly important, and more about the respect, interest and support you show for each other’s differences. You can support each other and love spending quality time together while also taking time to do your own thing.
If you are totally uninterested in your partner’s lifestyle and yawn whenever they speak about something important to them, you are both ignoring and dismissing them. Disrespecting their hobbies and ideas may lead them to feel unloved, increasing their interest in an affair with someone who shows even a little bit of interest in their world. If you continue to act as you did when you first started dating, the relationship is far more likely to stay respectful, interesting and fulfilling.
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