10 Types Of Relationships You’ll Probably Meet. From the beginning, there have been six types of relationships that most people fall into. These relationships are the friends with benefits, the casual relationship, the exclusive relationship, the serious relationship, the married couple, and then there is also the less common but still very recognizable open relationship. Each one of these relationships can be found in real life and everyone around you probably has one or two of them in their life.
There are many kinds of relationships(1) you’ll encounter in your life. Some will be good, some will be bad, and some might feel like both at different times throughout the relationship. Here are ten different types of relationships you can expect to find out there in the world and what makes them so unique.
1. The Barely There Relationship
This is a relationship between two people who aren’t exclusive but still like each other enough to keep seeing each other now and then. While not every Barely There Relationship ends up evolving into something stronger, they’re still one of the better ways to start a relationship, because they come without any real commitment.
The key here is not to make your partner feel pressured for more than he or she wants to give at that moment in time. If you do, you might find yourself dropped faster than a bad habit. The idea behind a Barely There Relationship is that both parties can have their cake and eat it too:
They get to enjoy each other’s company when they want without worrying about making plans for every night of the week or having to justify their actions or feelings to anyone else.
2. The Commitment Conscious Relationship
The idea of a relationship isn’t enough to sustain many couples. If you really want it, however, there are ways to make it happen. First, ask yourself if you’re ready for a serious commitment. If so, then think about your intentions and goals(2) in dating or relationships.
A conscious relationship will likely last longer than one where both parties don’t plan on being around for the long term—it requires more work and intentionality. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!
Here are some tips to keep things fresh Don’t rush into sex; respect each other; spend time together doing things that aren’t romantic (like playing games); talk often; listen; share experiences with each other; hold hands as much as possible. It might take time to get used to a conscious relationship, but once you do, it could lead to something bigger and better than ever before.
3. The Sexually Open Relationship
The most common question I get asked by people in monogamous relationships is: Is it possible to have an open relationship and still stay monogamous? It’s not what you think. What they’re really asking is, Is it possible to have a sexually open relationship with my partner?
In other words, can we be sexual with other people without falling in love with them or wanting more from them than just sex? And if so, how do we do that? Can we communicate about it well enough to keep our feelings out of it? Can we agree on rules for who, when, where, and how often before things start getting complicated?
If you’ve been fantasizing about opening up your relationship but are scared of losing control of your emotions or wrecking your primary partnership, here are some ideas for making sure those fears don’t come true. This kind of relationship requires lots of time, energy, and communication(3) skills because there are lots of ways it could go wrong.
On top of that, there’s no guarantee it will work out even if you manage to pull off all your best intentions. It may turn out that one or both partners prefer a closed relationship after all—or discover they’re not compatible with each other sexually after all.
4. Polyamorous Relationships
To those who aren’t familiar with polyamory, it may sound like an outdated fad. It isn’t. Polyamorous relationships are serious commitments between three or more people (though most are exclusive), and they are becoming more common every day(4).
Here’s what you need to know about these surprisingly common arrangements
1. What is a polyamorous relationship?
A polyamorous relationship is a committed romantic relationship that involves multiple partners. There are many different types of non-monogamous relationships, but most follow one of two models: closed or open.
In a closed relationship, all members are romantically involved with each other, while in an open relationship, members have additional sexual or romantic partners outside of their primary relationship(s).
For example, consider a triad (three people) in which Person A has romantic feelings for both Person B and Person C. If Person A is only allowed to date/have sex with Person B and not Person C, then that would be considered a closed relationship. If on the other hand, Person A can also date/have sex with person C as well, then that would be considered an open relationship.
2. Who are polyamorous people?
Polyamorous people come from all walks of life and include teachers, doctors, lawyers, artists, accountants, students, business owners—you name it. They live in cities large and small across North America and beyond.
Some are single parents raising children together; others are married couples living happily ever after; still, others prefer to keep things simple by cohabiting rather than getting legally married.
5. Secretly Happy Single
The term single can refer to a wide range of relationship statuses: single parents, single people in relationships (they just happen to live alone), divorced singles(5), widowed singles. Many of these people are very happy in their relationships; they’re simply solo and living independently. Others would love to meet someone—but until then, it doesn’t matter that they don’t have a partner.
Being single doesn’t have to mean being lonely or incomplete. It’s about having time for yourself and not feeling guilty about spending an evening with your friends instead of your spouse(6). It’s also about not having to compromise on what you want in life because you’re sharing everything with another person.
Some people need that kind of support and commitment from a romantic partner; others find fulfillment elsewhere (their career, family members, friends). Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel about your relationship status. If you’d like to meet someone, go out there and make it happen! If not, be happy where you are. Either way is fine.
6. The Open Relationship
Some people think that an open relationship means you can sleep with anyone you want. That’s not true. If a relationship is open, it means you can have sex with people other than your partner as long as they know about it and are okay with it. It also means you don’t hide things from each other.
An open relationship can be good for some couples because they can explore their sexuality without having to worry about cheating or lying to their partner. It takes a lot of trust(7) to do something like that though, so it might not be right for everyone. The only way to really find out if an open relationship is right for you is to try it out.
And keep in mind that being in an open relationship doesn’t mean either person has permission to sleep around—that would just be called cheating!
7. The Argumentative Couple
Some people are more of a love-hate relationship. Sometimes they really connect, sometimes they really clash, but one thing’s for sure—they will have an interesting time together. The best part about these couples is that they’re likely to keep each other on their toes in every way. Their passionate debates will always be something new, and you never know what they’ll end up doing next.
This kind of couple has an intense connection, but it can also come with some negative aspects as well. While it’s great to see two people so deeply involved with each other, it can also be hard for them to take criticism from others because they feel like no one understands how special their bond is. They might even feel defensive if someone else tries to tell them how to handle(8) their relationship.
When it comes down to it, though, there’s nothing quite like watching a couple who truly loves each other work through their differences and find common ground. It may not be easy all of the time, but it’s certainly worth watching!
8. The Meddling Siblings in Law
When one member of a couple is constantly asking questions, acting as your own personal life coach, and interfering with your happiness, things can get complicated. It’s natural for siblings to be excited when their sibling begins dating someone new (particularly if they are single), but it is not okay to try and change that person’s entire life in order to make them happy(9).
If you find yourself in a relationship where you feel like you have to answer to your partner’s family members every time you want to do something, then it might be time to reevaluate whether or not you should continue being involved with that person.
If you feel as though your relationship is always under scrutiny from your partner’s family members, then chances are high that those same people will never accept you as part of their family—and why would they? You don’t need to spend your whole life pleasing others; sometimes it is better to just walk away from a situation than to put up with nonsense.
9. Friends With Benefits
When two friends have a romantic relationship, it’s usually because they find each other physically attractive.
But of course, that doesn’t mean they care about each other any less than two non-beneficial friends would. In fact, there are many benefits to having a Friends With Benefits situation: you can get physical whenever you want without having to worry about commitment or emotions getting in your way; you can take breaks when you need them; and if things go sour with one friend, you still have your other friend for emotional support.
That said, these relationships do tend to be more casual—and thus harder to end—than traditional relationships(10). If you do decide to enter into a Friends With Benefits situation, keep in mind that it’s exactly no strings attached. It may feel like that at first, but eventually, both parties will start to develop feelings for each other.
How long does it take? It varies from person to person. For some people, it takes weeks; for others, months or even years.
10. We’re Just Good Business Partners
A business partnership can make a lot of sense for small businesses, but there are some important things to consider before becoming co-owners with someone else. One such consideration is whether or not you’re in a relationship with your potential partner. After all, even if it’s strictly business, every relationship takes work.
And since a partnership will bring on plenty of stress—and possibly emotions—it’s important to be aware that what works for one couple may not work for another. Here are 10 types of romantic relationships and how they might fare as business partners. 1. Lovers who’ve just started dating: This can go either way.
On one hand, lovers who’ve just started dating might have so much fun together that they want to take their newfound love into their business life too. On the other hand, though, new couples often have so many things going on between them (their careers, their friends) that trying to add a third party into an already complicated situation isn’t always ideal.
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