5 Signs You're Not Ready for a Relationship

You're single, and there's someone you really like. Before coupling up, consider for a moment whether you're prepared to get into something serious. Here are five signs that often mean you're not ready for a relationship.

You're not over past relationships.

If your last relationship still feels fresh in your mind, even if it ended a long time ago, you should probably wait before diving into a new one. Any lingering feelings of bitterness, jealousy, or sorrow could easily seep into your new relationship. Without even realizing it, those leftover feelings might cause you to sabotage what you have with a new partner, even if it could have been great without the emotional baggage.

You're really unhappy as a single person.

Good relationships can offer support, companionship, and room for personal growth. These elements thrive when both partners are emotionally prepared to assist and support each other. On the other hand, relationships can go sour quickly if each person requires a lot of attention, without offering much, because he or she uses relationships as something to counter his or her personal unhappiness. Be sure that you are in an emotional and mental place where you are prepared to give as much as you receive.

You're not ready to compromise.

In many ways, serious relationships are a string of compromises. You have to reach mutual decisions about where you want to go, what you want to do, where you want to live, the type of lifestyle you aspire to lead, and what you want out of your relationship. If you live together, you also have to compromise about all types of domestic habits. When you're not prepared to take part in several serious, potentially life-changing compromises, you're likely not ready for a relationship. That's not to say you should never stick to your guns about certain decisions, but most productive relationships involve a substantial amount of give-and-take.

You're not sure what you want out of a relationship.

Relationships require a lot of communication about needs and wants. Articulating these things can be difficult enough even if you have a clear idea of what they are. If you're unsure of what you want out of a relationship, communication breakdowns are more likely to become a problem. You're better prepared to enter into a beneficial relationship if you have done enough self-reflection to know what you require from a relationship.

You don't have enough time.

Sometimes, your calendar is jam-packed, and there is little you can do to make room for a new person in your life. Perhaps you have a heavy course load, or maybe your job involves a lot of travel. Though you should try to make time for those who are dear to you, sometimes you just won't have enough hours in the day to be a present partner. Some potential partners will be okay with your hectic schedule, and will accept limited contact until you have time again. Others will be less open to that arrangement. If your schedule is tight, be brutally honest with yourself and the person you'd like to be with about whether the relationship can work out. What some couples can endure, others can't.

Consider the five signs before you start a new relationship. If the majority of them apply to you, it's probably a good idea to wait before entering back into the world of relationships. Most likely, you're not ready to start something serious. All couples are unique, though, so it's up to you to judge whether you're in the right mental and emotional place to be a good partner for the person who caught your eye.