D.T.R.

What is D.T.R.? It stands for Define The Relationship. Most people know this as the talk you have during different stages of your relationship. Primarily this talk happens when your relationship is still young and getting into that awkward phase of not knowing where your relationship is heading. Are you are moving forward or breaking up?

I believe that all relationships no matter how long you have been in it should have DTR’s. Maybe you are asking why. Something we have to remember is, we are all individual people that are traveling down our own paths, even if we are in a relationship. As we travel down these paths, we are experiencing new things all the time that have an effect on us. As people, we continue to grow and change as our life goes on and as we experience new and different things.

If we continue on our paths of change and don’t include our significant others as to what we are doing, where we are going, or where we want to go, we will end up in different places. Sometimes those different places lead us to different people, and that is how relationships are destroyed. So we need to have DTRs in order to stay together as we navigate this world together, or we are going to end up in different places and possibly with different people.

Having a DTR with your significant other is always a good way of keeping your relationship strong. You are able to discuss ideas, dreams, goals, hardships, challenges and feelings that you have about the relationship. Good communication is vital in any relationship and this is a great time to work on those skills. All relationships need defining and clarification from time to time. If not, we become disconnected and lost in what our significant other felt and thinks. If you are ever feeling lost and confused about where your relationship is, that is a great time to have a DTR.

The beauty of having a DTR is that you can really do it whenever and wherever you want. You can be chilling at home, out to eat, on a long drive somewhere. Ultimately it’s where you feel comfortable doing it. The main thing to remember is, you are just discussing your feelings and how to move forward together as a couple from that point on. Knowledge is power, and when you both know where the other is, you become strong as a couple.

DTRs are a great way to strengthen your relationship. We all go through rough patches, and a lot of the time it is because we are not communicating with one another. We have to communicate with one another in order to succeed. Healthy, strong relationships have a solid foundation of communication. So don’t be afraid to talk with your significant other when things are changing in your life, or you question what is going on in theirs. Honest communication is the only way to have a strong relationship.

So the next time you get sideways in your relationship, or you are looking to plan something in your future. Get together with your significant other and discuss what you are thinking and feeling. It’s never good to get blindsided.