Having an affair with someone else can really put a strain on your relationship. But what you don’t know is that this isn’t necessarily the only form of betrayal that you can have in your romance. There are a few other more subtle forms of betrayal that can really stress a relationship out; and it can potentially destroy the trust that you and your partner have. It’s no secret that relationships are always going to require a lot of hard work. You probably already know by now that you’re going to have to make a conscious commitment every single day to make things work with your partner.
You are always going to have to choose to fight for your love as much as you can. You are always going to have to exert maximum effort for the sake of your relationship. Any failure to do so with signify that you are taking your relationship for granted. And no relationship that is taken for granted will ever have the strength to work out in the long-term. You might even grow aware that you are betraying your partner in a certain sense but you just dismiss it because you think that it’s better than having a real affair outside of your relationship. That’s the wrong mindset to have.
Just because it isn’t as bad as having an affair doesn’t mean that it’s right and justifiable. It’s still wrong and you still shouldn’t think that you would be able to get away with these without having to face the consequences. It’s absolutely essential that you maintain a sense of mutual trust with your partner if you’re really invested in making things work with one another. When there is no trust in a relationship, there is no love. Because really, there can be no love when trust is nowhere to be found. So any violation to the foundation of trust that you have in your relationship can be really dangerous.
Betrayals happen when at least one of the two conditions are met: when there is a direct cover up or form of deceit; and when there is a yearning for an emotional connection with someone outside of the relationship. If you need more explanations on what it really means to betray your partner, then just continue to read on below:
1. Emotional infidelity.
Infidelity doesn’t always have to take a physical form. You don’t have to have sex with someone outside of your relationship for it to be constituted as cheating on your partner. You don’t even have to be kissing or touching anyone other than your partner for you to be considered as a cheater. There is such a thing as emotional cheating; emotional infidelity. Even the simple act of having strong feelings for another person; and acting on those feelings in even the simplest form can be enough to be considered as a betrayal.
When you are in a relationship with someone, you aren’t necessarily going to be without your temptations. And that’s normal. Temptations exist and they’re everywhere. But you always have to keep in mind that the strongest relationships are the ones that are able to withstand these temptations. You always have a choice. And if you choose to resist on acting on your emotional urges, then you are being a trustworthy and loyal partner in your relationship.
2. Having a love that is conditional.
Love that is conditional is not true love at all – and it’s one of the greatest forms of betrayal that you could ever have on your partner. The reason why having conditional love is so terrible is that it’s very manipulative. You are essentially manipulating your partner into behaving a certain way just to win over your love. Of course, you always have a choice as to whether you want to stay in love with your partner or not.
But that doesn’t give you the right to be casting conditions on the love that you have for your partner. That’s wrong. And that’s not a healthy way to go about your relationships. You always want to make sure that your partner feels loved no matter what. You need to have the kind of love that is steady, consistent, and reliable; a love that does not alter when alteration finds, as Shakespeare says.
3. Emotional exclusion.
Excluding yourself from the narrative of your relationship just because things get a little inconvenient is also a form of betrayal for your partner. When you are in a loyal and committed relationship to someone, you stay in it no matter how hard things might get. Your partner might be going through some turbulent times; and it’s absolutely essential that you stay there. It becomes even more important for you to stay consistent; to always be willing to fight for your love even when the odds are stacked against you. When you remove yourself from the situation just because you’re scared, you’re leaving your partner all alone.