Every relationship is unique, and what suits one couple might not work for another. However, some warning signs are usually considered bad news by most experts. Often called red flags, these warning signs could signal that you need to call time on a relationship.
According to Louanne Ward, a matchmaker and coach from Australia, there’s a six-word phrase that signals your relationship is at risk. The expert told Daily Mail Australia that it could be a “warning” if someone tells you, “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Although people might think the phrase offers reassurance, Louanne sees things differently. “When somebody says, ‘I don’t want to hurt you’, what they’re really saying is they believe you have more feelings for them than what they have for you,'” she claimed.
“It means they’re not fully invested, they know you care more than they do and they’re laying the groundwork to excuse their future bad behaviour.” The expert proposed that people might use this expression to absolve themselves of guilt, believing that they’ve been kind because they warned you.
Louanne stated: “The simple fact is, if somebody doesn’t see you as a potential long-term partner and doesn’t have strong enough feelings for you, they can see that they can potentially hurt you.”
There might be other signs that a relationship is drawing toward a conclusion, reports the Mirror. For example, Paige Moyce, a relationship and break-up coach, has shared three signs that could indicate it’s time to part ways. The first sign applies to couples who feel like they’re walking on eggshells around each other.
“If before you communicate something important to you, or emotionally driven, you have to be mindful of when you say it and how you say it, and this person’s mood before you say it, and you get anxious and have to walk on eggshells for daring to communicate something emotional or important, this is not healthy in the absolute slightest,” she claimed.
“How long is this sustainable for? It depends on how long you want to cling to barbed wire and bleed. But ultimately, if you have to self-edit and audit yourself to that point to try and keep this person happy, this relationship is heading for disaster.”
(Image: Getty)
Secondly, Paige posed a question people might want to ask themselves. “If there was a magic wand and there was no consequence, and you didn’t have to worry about anything or anyone, and you could leave, and you could be happy outside of this relationship, would you do it?”
Lastly, she suggested a relationship without “warmth” could be a red flag if it feels like your partner is not meeting you halfway. While “warmth” might mean something different for everyone, such as physical or emotional intimacy, the expert says this could be an indicator.
“This is often a sign that the relationship is over, because to reignite that warmth, and to have the warmth back in the relationship, on whatever level it may be missing, that takes two,” she explained. “One person cannot light that match themselves. That has to be a team effort. And if a person isn’t leaning in with you in their own way, then you’re in a relationship with no warmth”.