Think you might be settling? These 5 signs say you are

We all know that old line: ‘Love is compromise’. While that is true to a degree, compromise is not the same as settling. If you are always justifying your partner's actions, or always unhappy in your relationship, then you might want to stop and consider: Am I settling for less than I deserve?

Here are five signs that yes, maybe you are settling:

You constantly make excuses for their behavior

Do you find yourself thinking and saying things like, 'They didn’t mean to' or 'They were just having a rough day' - all the time? If you are constantly finding makeshift cover for your partner's lack of effort, communication, or even downright rude behavior, you could be putting up with behavior that you shouldn't be dealing with.

Your needs aren’t being met (and you’ve stopped asking)

No matter if your needs are emotional support, affection, or quality time - they are all valid. If your needs have been expressed in the past and there has been no change, or worse, you have just stopped asking for anything - that should be a red flag. A healthy relationship allows both partners the space to express their needs and tender the requests instead of only one partner. 

Your needs aren’t being met (and you’ve stopped asking) (Credit: Freepik)

You feel invisible or undervalued

You're contributing, you're invested, and yet the way you're supporting them barely registers. Appreciation doesn't have to be a performance—however, when you give them something every day, and only get a little something back, that imbalance can create an emotional strain.

You're more terrified of being alone than you are of being in a relationship with them

Sometimes we find it easier to hang on than we do to start over. It feels more terrifying to break up than to stay unhappy. If your relationship is driven from fear, rather than joy, you have to ask yourself what you're actually holding on to. 

You're more terrified of being alone than you are of being in a relationship with them (Credit: Freepik)

You've lost touch with who you are

A partner should lift you up—not lead you away from yourself. If you're depriving yourself of the things you love, your energy is depleted, or you're otherwise feeling like you have to change to please them, you might be giving away too much of who you are.

Settling doesn't always feel dramatic. It often seeps in quietly: the small things you ignore, the silences you embrace, even the dreams that you put on hold. You deserve more than okay. You deserve happiness, growth, respect, and a love that feels like home—not a project.

Don't shy away from elevating your standards. The right person will meet you there.

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