Is Tension in a Relationship Okay?

Love has been portrayed a little too perfectly nowadays, thanks to social media. You've probably seen it with your own eyes - couples who always look perfect together in photos, overly-designed rooms with heart-shaped balloons, etc. - and maybe once thought to yourself, "How can I have a perfect relationship like theirs?"

But behind closed doors, your ideal, perfect image of a relationship isn't what you really think. They fight, too. They disagree on things. They get angry at each other. In fact, tension between lovers wasn't seen as anything extraordinary in the past.

These days however, because of how love is portrayed on social media, we may think that real love equals no problems. Some people don't accept that tension is part of true love. They like to stay in their fantasy of a perfectly-balanced relationship, a constant "happy-ever-after". If you have this mindset, then you may be disappointed when it comes down to the nitty gritty of having a relationship.

Expectations, ideals, and disappointments.

In the beginning, you normally have expectations from your partner, and maybe so does he/she. To be specific, your expectations are the romantic kind. You expect to be loved in the way you want to be loved. You have goals when you begin a new relationship and want to center your relationship around your needs and vice versa.

Being in a relationship is understanding that over time, things will happen, especially big and messy mistakes. And of course it can make you upset and angry. But the best way to get through that is give your partner the benefit of the doubt. Sit down and listen to what your partner has to say. Don't over-talk. Acknowledge the little tensions, don't over analyse, and learn from past mistakes.

A relationship isn't just based on affection alone. It's also based on how you handle the bumps in the road. These conflicts - big and small can make you stronger and more resilient. Face them with respect and you'll end up smiling at the end of the day.

Problems are part of true love. Love accepts the flaws and balances them out. The real kind of love forgives these little disappointments, sets aside the ideals and doesn't expect too much. Everything falls into place eventually. Affection is stronger than disappointment, after all.