A new romance may bloom like a fairy tale, but just when it starts to get serious and nears the happy ending, we panic! This could be as a result of a myriad of things; maybe a previous bad experience, the reluctance to give up our single status, the fear of commitment or maybe we don't think we are ready for the next step- Marriage.
If you’re in a long-term relationship that’s lasted at least a few years, it’s obvious that the idea of the next stage of marriage will eventually enter your head. If you feel any emotion other than some form of happiness when you think of marrying your lover then this could mean that you're either afraid of commitment or you're just not ready for marriage.
Unfortunately, a successful marriage takes more than just true love to succeed. Here are some of the signs that you're ready for marriage:
#1 You are a survivor of a bad experience
A bad case of cheating exes and heartbreaks can leave you paranoid about long-term relationships and promises of commitment. The past can hurt you and haunt you, but that’s no excuse to stagnate in your new relationship or feel insecure about it. If you feel confident and secure about your new lover after all of these then you're ready.
#2 You're an independent individual
Marriage is a partnership, but if only one of the partners is mature enough to look after themselves and maintain their individuality then there's a problem. Both of you have to make the effort to give each other space and grow as individuals, this commitment will only make both of you fall more in love with each other and become better individuals at the same time.
#3 You are certain he/she is the one
If you are uncertain whether your partner is the right person for you then this is the worst place to be, and your fear of commitment is completely justified. But if you are certain without any shadow of a doubt that they are the one for you then you're ready for marriage.
#4 Financial stability
A marriage brings with it a sense of financial responsibility. You must be willing and able to support the new family, pay bills in time and meet every arising need as it appears. So if you're financially stable then you could be deemed ready for marriage.
#5 Are you aware of your partner's habits?
Though not advisable for unmarried couples, but moving in together before marriage could help iron out the doubts about compatibility. Previous engagement en route to the wedding bells could also help individuals simulate a marriage with the bid of learning more about there partners behaviors that might have escaped their radar during dating.
#6 Is the couple communicating effectively?
Communicating frankly may seem uncomfortable at first for any couple. You have to first get comfortable enough around each other so as to allow yourselves to become vulnerable and exposed. Effective communication involves subtly expressing yourself without intentionally trying to hurt your lover. If the couple can achieve this then they're ready for marriage.
#7 The couple should be emotionally mature
For two people to live with each other happily as a married couple, you need to be emotionally mature. Once you’re married, no matter how difficult life gets, you can’t shut your problems away. You have to face them like mature people, therefore it is advisable that you assess this aspect of your relationship before you jump into marriage.
#8 You are ready and willing to embrace his flaws
Now, as perfect as either of you are, none of us are entirely perfect. We come with our own packages of good and bad. Can you handle his snores? his disinterest in doing dishes? his laziness and general untidiness? These are just a tiny part of the different shortcomings that we all come with. You may think you can definitely handle these things, but these shortcomings are actually the biggest reasons why relationships and marriages fail!