Is It a Red Flag, or a Sign You’re Still Getting to Know Each Other?
You don’t always need to run at the first sign of “danger.”
The world of dating and relationship advice seems obsessed with pointing out red flags.
We look for signs that our dating app matches are only looking for sex, that our dates are toxic love-bombers, and that our boyfriends are manipulative narcissists. In our contemporary culture of instant gratification, we want to avoid heartbreak and move on to the next potential great suitor sooner rather than later.
I don’t blame the well-meaning red flag advice, after all, a lot of it comes from painfully learned lessons. What’s the point of going through heartbreak if it’s not going to teach us (and our audience) anything useful?
The problem with our red flag obsession is that these signs can get blurry, and being on the lookout for them from the very early stages of a relationship can get in the way of going with the flow and enjoying something great.
Sometimes, what you see is indeed a red flag, but it might also be a sign you’re still getting to know each other and are not totally comfortable around each other just yet.
Something small that might scare you and send you running might be nothing but a sign that…
