The Stages of Relationships – Part 1 – The Early Stage – The Novelty/Honeymoon Period
The majority of relationships take the same plot, same song and dance but a different partner. At the beginning the novelty period so to speak brings excitement, mystery and optimism. You meet someone new, ask about a bunch of questions/sell yourself, and if they light the fire of tingles/butterflies/chemistry and the feelings are mutual then boom. Emotions have taken over, you talk all day long, can’t wait to see them, you smile when they call or knowing that you are in their thoughts, you’re excited because you barely know anything about them and they just seem so perfect. Everyone else becomes secondary as tunnel vision develops and you tend to only focus on this person as the high continues.
However, the danger lies in getting caught up to fast as during this period people are on their best behaviour and it could lead to you falling for the charming fantasy not the reality, as it is usually only when someone becomes embedded in your life and they become comfortable around you does their true form start to show, but now everything is smooth like butter, drama is non-existent and the script of the first few months of a relationship almost always being the best continues to ring true. How on earth is this person single? You are told everything you ever wanted to hear, how amazing you are, how you’re the person they have been waiting for their whole life, how special you are, even sometimes going to the length of faking of interest in the things you like and showing a genuine concern in the ongoings of your life, basically anything to secure what they are after. I have heard it/seen it all in this stage of Oscar winning performances, insecurities calmed, the L word, pouring out of feelings, poems written, approval of friends and families, talks about the future etc. etc.
However, in due time the initial rush tends to wear off as stability and routines replace the excitement and mystery. This usually this occurs around three-five months of a relationship. This is also the time where a lot of individuals get restless or feel like things are not going as they planned because the high has worn off. While some will realize that this is normal and learn to move into the next stage of the relationship, others will simply vault from person to person chasing the high that newness brings.