Six Months In A Relationship: What Does It Mean?

Things To Consider In Or After Six Months Of A Relationship

1. The Six-Month Rule

In most relationships, you know whether you want to proceed into a committed relationship with the person you have been seeing at the six-month mark. During the first six months, you and your partner have gone out on enough dates to know each other. You know enough to decide if you want to be together or not. This is usually the point when most couples decide if they want to become exclusive. Getting through six months together indicates that you and your partner want a long-term relationship together. So, it is essential to have a conversation about exclusivity and make sure that you both are on the same page before taking the next step in your relationship.

2. Getting To Know Each Other

The first six months in a relationship are enough time to decide if the person you are seeing is someone you want to be committed to. You learn things about each other – quirks you like and things you dislike. You need to decide whether the things you like outweigh the things you dislike in the relationship.

If you both are constantly bickering in the first six months, it shows that you are not compatible. But if you both have grown to love spending time with each other, your relationship is headed in a good direction.

3. Meeting The Parents

Meeting the parents during the first six months of the relationship shows serious commitment. If your partner has introduced you to their parents, they are seriously considering a future with you.

However, this does not mean that your partner is not serious about you if you haven’t met their parents yet. Remember it’s always advisable to not force this event, because the partners need to build a solid basis before letting other people indirectly enter their relationship.

4. Have You Met Their Friends?

You can tell a lot about a person just by meeting their friends. Meeting your partner’s friends is important in the first six months. It gives you an insight into their world – what they like doing to chill out, how they are most of the time, what type of a person they are. It is also important to get along with your partner’s friends. Many relationships break apart simply because one partner does not like the other’s friends.

If your partner has not introduced you to their friends, they may still be in two minds about the relationship. Ask them about their friends and notice if they are open to you meeting them. If they are not, they may not be serious about you.

5. How Much Do You Argue?

This is a simple one – you and your partner may like each other but fight more often than not. While discussing serious issues is important, arguing about everything is a sign of incompatibility. There may be one or two things that are holding you in the relationship – like maybe the sex is good. But if you both are bickering most of the time, the relationship will not grow and most likely suffer.

6. Commitment

It’s easy to gauge if a person wants to commit to you. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Do they make time for you?
• When you both hang out, are the 100% there? Or are they constantly on their phone?
• Do they often invite other people to hang out with you both? Or do you both spend quality time together?
• Are they open to discussing serious issues like planning a future together?

These are some of the questions you should have answers to by the end of six months. If your partner is evasive about planning the future with you, the relationship may not last.

Another factor that shows commitment in a relationship is that you both are willing to put in the work to make the relationship grow. You both are willing to put in time and effort, even if it means compromising for each other or seeing a couples counselor.

Quick Tip

Six months in a relationship is a good time to go out together on a trip. However, you can always plan to go somewhere closer if the idea of visiting a different state or city makes you uncomfortable.

7. What Do You Like About Them?

Just close your eyes and think about all the wonderful things about your partner that make your knees go weak.

• l Do you like their personality?
• l Are there memories of them that make you smile?
• l Have they shown you how important you are to them? (It does not have to be grand gestures, the little things matter as well.)
• l Have they taken the time to find out what you love and hate?

If you were only thinking about how good-looking your partner is or how great the sex is, then your relationship is shallow (at least from your end).

8. Have You Discussed Your Future Plans?

Talking about each other’s life plans does not necessarily mean that you are in a committed relationship. Does your partner talk about their future without adding you in the picture? If so, then they are not serious about the relationship. Sit down with your partner and discuss the following:

• How have you planned your future? Both generally and career-wise?
• Do you see me in your future? If so, how?
• What, according to you, should the progression of our relationship look like?

Quick Tip

You can also discuss your finances and consider opening a joint account to share your expenses in the future.

9. How Open Are You Both?

A clear sign of relationship growth is openness and honesty. During the first six months, it’s important to be open and honest with each other. Does your partner tell you personal things about themselves? Are they vulnerable with you? Are they honest about what they like and dislike?

Honesty is extremely important in a relationship. If your partner is not honest with you, the relationship is built on lies and is doomed to fail. If they are lying about simple things like how they spend their day or who they hang out with, they may be lying about other things as well. Also, if there’s a clear lack of mutual respect, there cannot be conditions to prolong the relationship further.

If you both are open and honest with each other in the first six months, it shows that you want the relationship to grow. But, remember to always be open and honest throughout the relationship, not just at the start.

10. How Secure Is Your Partner?

During the first six months of a relationship, take note of how secure your partner is in the relationship and themselves. If your partner trusts you, it will help the relationship grow. However, if your partner constantly calls you to know where you are, checks who you hang out with restricts the people you can see, or checks your phone and other devices all the time – it will hinder the relationship.

An insecure partner often makes the other person feel uncomfortable and jailed. You may think at first that you can handle it because you like them, but after the first six months you will feel the weight of their distrust.

11. Their Previous Relationship

Within the first six months of a relationship, it’s easy to figure out if your partner is hung up on their ex. If they are, you might be their rebound. A rebound relationship is one where a person enters into a new relationship to try and get over their ex. These types of relationships mostly never work out because the person is hung up on their previous relationship. They are just using you as a way to get over their ex rather than building a lost-lasting relationship with you.

A few signs of someone who is not over their ex are:

• They constantly talk about their past relationship.
• They compare you to their previous partner, often wanting you to be more like them.
• They don’t seem happy in the relationship they are in now, constantly comparing it to their previous one.
• They have pictures of their ex that they keep looking at.
• They keep tabs on their ex’s social media accounts to know what they are doing.

While a rebound relationship may turn into a serious relationship, it does not happen often. If in the first six months with you your partner is hung up on their ex, it’s time for you to move on.

12. The Honeymoon Period

Most people consider the first six months to be the honeymoon phase of a relationship. This is the time when both partners go out of their way to show how much the other means to them. For some, it is grand gestures like planning romantic getaways, and for others, it’s the simple things that count, like going out every weekend.

While these gestures may be common in the first six months, they often reduce as the relationship progresses. Some people believe that it’s the natural progression of a relationship – the first six months are magical. Then, the couple sets into familiarity with each other so they don’t feel the need to make romantic gestures.

This is not true – it’s important to show your partner how important they are even after the six-month mark in your relationship. Bring them flowers once or twice a month, surprise them by making a special dinner, or take them out on a spa day – make sure to keep the spark alive. Otherwise, the relationship might go stale over time.

13. The Devil’s Tango

In this day and age, premarital sex is normal. Some people believe that in order to fully gauge compatibility, they need to know how they are in bed. However, it’s not essential. What is important is discussing your opinions on physical intimacy in the first six months of the relationship. If you and your partner are not on the same page with physical intimacy, it may throw a wedge in your relationship.

If you feel uncomfortable saying ‘yes’ to sex in the first six months of your relationship but your partner is pressuring you to have sex, this relationship may not be for you. Your partner needs to understand how comfortable you are with physical intimacy.

There is also the opposite end of the spectrum where one partner may not be comfortable with physical intimacy at all. As in, they don’t like holding hands or touching at all. Neither of these situations is ideal. You and your partner need to be on the same page when it comes to physical intimacy. It should be a step you both take together because you are comfortable with the idea.

Here are some common questions people ask when they reach the six-month mark in the relationship.

Common Questions In Or After Six Months In A Relationship

1. Is Six Months In A Relationship A Big Deal?

Being together for six months is a big deal for a relationship. It means that you and your partner are serious and committed to making the relationship work. The six-month period helps you figure out if you want to stay in the relationship or go separate ways.

2. What Is The Six-Month Anniversary Called?

The six-month anniversary is called the semi-anniversary. It is also called a semi-annual anniversary, bi-annual anniversary, or a bi-anniversary.

3. Is Six Months Too Soon To Move In Together?

This depends on the couple’s comfort level in the relationship. If both partners are open with each other, then it might work out. It allows you to get a look into their lives and daily routine. Many people believe that moving in together after six months strengthens the relationship and prepares them for marriage.

4. Should You Be Saying “I Love You” After Six Months?

While you don’t need to say “ I love you” after six months, you should be certain that you do like the other person and that your feelings are growing. Sometimes, it may take more than six months for a partner to say those three words.

5. How Long Until The Relationship Is Serious?

By six months, it’s clear whether the couple is serious about the relationship. Now that they know each other better, they can focus on improving the relationship and just being there for each other.

6. What Month Is The Hardest In A Relationship?

There is no particular month in a relationship that is difficult. You can be together for years and then suddenly face a hard situation in the relationship.

Most people consider the first six months of the relationship to be tough since it’s the beginning and they have to take time out to get to know each other. Both partners are figuring out what works and what doesn’t in the relationship. They are learning new things about each other. So, some parts of the relationship may take some getting used to.

7. What Should I Get My Partner For Our Six-Month Anniversary?

The first six months in a relationship are special. You can celebrate this milestone by giving your partner a gift or doing something special for them. Flowers are a great way to celebrate six months. You can also prepare a candlelight dinner or take them somewhere fancy. Jewelry like a watch or a bracelet is also a great gift. You can also write them a love note telling them what you like about them.

Now that you’ve finished the six-month milestone in the relationship, what does it say about the future? Find out in the next section!

Can The State Of The Relationship After Six Months Be A Sign Of Things To Come?

While six months is a good milestone to celebrate in a relationship, it does not determine how the relationship grows. During the first six months, both partners are just learning things about each other. In a year’s time, that relationship may change altogether. But, the state of the relationship after the first six months is important to consider.

Both partners in the relationship should take that time to figure out whether they are compatible and whether they fit into each other’s future. If the relationship has fizzled out by the sixth month, then the couple needs to decide whether to move forward or go their own separate ways.

There may be a few challenges in the relationship that may be brushed off during the first six months but may become a serious factor in the relationship later on. For example, you may be fine with not broaching topics like vulnerability or commitment during the first few months since the relationship has just started. But, over time, these issues need to be addressed for a relationship to work.

So, what’s next once you’ve surpassed six months with your partner? Keep reading to find out.

What To Expect After Six Months In The Relationship?

Once you’ve reached the six-month mark in your relationship, you know how serious you are about your partner and vice versa. Either the six months have made you realize that you want to be with this person and become exclusive partners or that something just isn’t working and part ways.

Mila, a writer and blogger, writes about her relationship at the six-month stage and describes how she knows in her heart that he is the one. She says, “For some people, the six-month milestone may not mean a lot, however, upon meeting my soon-to-be husband, I became a believer that time doesn’t matter as long as you know (feel) the person you are with is “the one (i).”

Infographic: The 6-Month Healthy Relationship Checkpoint

The 6-month mark is a good time to sit back and evaluate your relationship. For some, a 6-month relationship is still new and all about the butterflies in the tummy. Most people are yet to spot or accept imperfections in their partners. However, there are certain things that you must reflect on to understand where your partnership is going and whether or not it is healthy.

Use the infographic below as a 6-month relationship checkpoint through which you can assess how things are going for you as a couple.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Do relationships get boring after 6 months?

Boredom can set anywhere between 3 months to 2 years into any relationship. Many people feel like monotony sets in at the 6-month mark.

What year is the hardest in a relationship?

The first and seventh years are considered the hardest in a relationship.

Is moving too fast in a relationship a red flag?

Yes. Moving too fast in a relationship is considered a red flag. Sharing intense feelings without knowing each other well enough may cause problems in a relationship.

Is it normal for a relationship to lose its spark?

Yes. With time, the spark between couples may dim or disappear, which is normal in any relationship. The longevity of a relationship relies on the couple making an active effort to rekindle the spark.

The 25th-year of your marriage is a great milestone that warrants a celebration with heartfelt messages. Take a look at this video for wishes that express your unwavering commitment to your partner!

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Rodolfo ParlatiProfessional Life Coach

     

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