THE COMMITMENT STAGE

When you have different ideas about what the future looks like.

“When things become serious you’ll naturally start mapping out your future together. If you’ve got different visions, then it’s incredibly important to chat about this no matter how tricky it feels. “Compromise is an important part of a relationship, but you don’t want to end up resenting each other, so make sure you agree on the big things. If you disagree on something as huge as wanting children, then you need to seriously consider ending it for the sake of you both and your happiness.

“And getting cold feet before a wedding is normal – it’s a big decision! Be brave. Talk about your concerns with your partner. If you can’t do that now, how will you communicate within a marriage? You should be able to speak about the good, the bad and the ugly.”