{"id":20125,"date":"2020-09-12T09:26:42","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T16:26:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=20125"},"modified":"2021-05-31T07:48:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T14:48:24","slug":"what-is-an-open-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/relationship-advice\/what-is-an-open-relationship\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is An Open Relationship And Is It Right for You?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There isn\u2019t one right way to have a relationship. For some people, a relationship can mean being exclusive with one person and growing old together. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For someone else, it can mean being in an open relationship and connecting with multiple partners. But what is an open relationship, and is it for you?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relationships vary from couple to couple and they can change over time. Entering into an open relationship shouldn\u2019t be taken lightly, but it can be a necessary step to find happiness with your partner. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But before that, it\u2019s important to understand what exactly an open relationship means.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>What is an Open Relationship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An open-relationship&nbsp;is kind of an umbrella term. Basically, it means any form of a relationship in which you and your partner decide to open your relationship up to other people. But, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/dating-advice\/open-relationship-vs-polyamorous-dating\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">isn\u2019t that polyamory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? Well, no, not exactly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polyamory means that you\u2019re open to being with multiple people, emotionally and sexually. Open relationships don\u2019t necessarily have to include the romantic or emotional sides. In fact, more often than not, they don\u2019t. And that\u2019s perfectly fine!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s important is that you\u2019re both on the same page about what your agreement includes, and what it doesn\u2019t.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Should I Enter an Open Relationship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few things to consider before entering into an open relationship. Just like monogamy, an open relationship isn\u2019t for everyone. And maintaining a healthy one isn\u2019t always easy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a checklist to consider before starting an open relationship with your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><b>Are you both clear about what kind of open relationship you want?<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The truth is, the answer to \u201cwhat is an open relationship?\u201d is different for every couple.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you want to be sexual with other people outside of your current partnership? Are you looking to form additional emotional attachments? Can you see the same person more than a few times?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s crucial that you and your partner understand what kind of relationships you\u2019re about to engage in. Do this before you start meeting new people. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t communicate on what you\u2019re doing or what you want to do, you\u2019re on a quick road to feelings of betrayal and hurt.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><b>Are you comfortable setting boundaries?<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to set boundaries with the new people you\u2019re meeting from the start. That way you avoid any hurt feelings or confusion.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But you also need to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/relationship-advice\/healthy-relationships\/boundaries-in-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">set healthy boundaries with your current partner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Even after you\u2019ve determined what type of open relationship you\u2019re in, you need to go further than that.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it ok if they bring their partner back to your shared residence? Do you just not want to be told certain things, like specific details of sexual exploits? What will you tell family members or friends about your new chapter?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These boundaries are important to make an open relationship work. Too often people assume that parts of their relationship go without saying. But if you\u2019re making assumptions about what your partner is going to do, you\u2019re going to end up disappointed.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><b>Are you a particularly jealous person?<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people believe that jealousy and having an open relationship don\u2019t mix well. But the reality is that jealousy happens, whether we want to admit it or not. It\u2019s natural.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in order for an open relationship to survive, there are two things that you should work on: having control over feelings of jealousy and communicating such feelings to your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you start to feel a little jealous, have a talked-out plan with your partner on what to do. Don\u2019t let those feelings control you or cause you to act out.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check-in with each other rationally and regularly. That way nothing ever bubbles up from under the surface down the road.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><b>Are you trying to use an open relationship to address infidelity?<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer to someone cheating is not to just open up your relationship. If someone has already cheated in an exclusive relationship, they might not be trustworthy enough to be in an ethically open relationship. Ethical is a crucial term here.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What they did was not ethical in any manner, shape, or form. It cannot be stressed enough. Cheating and an open relationship aren\u2019t the same things.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><b>You\u2019re not trying to save your relationship.<\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not uncommon to come across a couple who have chosen an open relationship because they refuse to address another underlying issue.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps their sex life has started lacking and they\u2019re looking to fulfill their sexual need with others instead of trying to work through compatibility issues together. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or maybe there\u2019s an emotional connection that\u2019s started to fade and they\u2019re trying to rekindle those lost feelings of love with other people.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there\u2019s discord in your relationship, it\u2019s probably not the right time to open it up. Having a successful open relationship means having stability in your own relationship first.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may have noticed a trend here. The number one thing that sinks an open relationship is a lack of communication. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So our top advice? Ask yourself, what is an open relationship <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for us<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Be willing to over-communicate and to talk about anything and everything, before little thoughts turn into bad feelings.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you and your partner are the kinds of people who are capable of talking things through and you\u2019re both interested in this kind of relationship, then maybe this will be a happy path for you both! Be open. Trust each other and your instincts. The rest will follow.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;ve answered all your curious questions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":156,"featured_media":20126,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[891,996],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-relationship-advice","category-types-of-love"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is An Open Relationship And Is It Right for You?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you curious about non-monogomy? Or do you ever wonder, what is an open relationship anyway? 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