In films and fairy tales, everything is simple - they met, fell in love, got married and together forever. It turns out that in life everything is much more complicated.

To come to a real, strong feeling, you need to go through several stages. How not to give up too soon and achieve harmony in relationships.

Stage One - Passionate Beginning

Goosebumps, butterflies in the stomach, constant thoughts about a person - this is all the first stage of a relationship. Feelings are heightened, eyes are fixed through rose-colored glasses, hormones play. At this stage, everything is easy, exciting and romantic. This is the favorite stage of many people, where they prefer to stay.
But do not entertain yourself with illusions - this is not love.

Stage two - things get a lot more serious

From passion, lightness and fun, love develops into the next stage, when people officially become a couple, start a life together and make plans for the future.
Relationships become calmer and more mundane. When instead of dancing in the rain and looking at the stars, you lie on the couch on the weekend and watch a series, this is the second stage.
At this stage, people often begin to live together, get married, build a family. And it seems that this love is here - feelings have become deeper, you are comfortable and safe with each other.

Stage three - disappointment

Everyone goes through this stage. This is a normal development in any relationship, when it seems to you that love has passed, that you made a mistake and the wrong person is next to you. There comes a time when you think about breaking up.

When you reach this stage, you have 3 options for the development of events:
End relationship. And start over with another person. But sooner or later you will also come to this stage. This stage must pass any romantic relationship.
Let it be as it is. Don't try to change anything in the relationship and just let it be. This may take an indefinite period of time.
Start taking action to get through this stage. Couples who choose this option start looking for ways to improve communication and reconnect. Here people choose relationships that need to be worked on daily - to talk to each other, to support, to give freedom.

Stage four - true love

If you have passed the third stage, then your feeling has become deeper and more mature. At this stage, you are aware of your partner's shortcomings and weaknesses, but you accept and love even them. Gratitude and forgiveness are important components of this stage.
At this stage, you truly become a team, help each other achieve goals and become better, and forget about selfishness.
To get to this stage, you need a lot of work - first of all with yourself.

Stage five - you begin to change the world around you

Love is a creative force. The fifth stage of the relationship is not about a wedding or living together, but about a common job. This is where you begin to work on each other's shortcomings and develop your strengths. You become an example of how working together can improve your life and the lives of others.
The more experience you get together, the stronger your relationship will be.
The sad fact is that most couples don't get past the third stage. Many choose to break up or not change the state of things in a relationship and feel unhappy.

But everything is possible. There are examples of happy and harmonious relationships in which people become better and inspire by the example of the people around them.

Think about where you are in your relationship right now. Get ready for things to be difficult. But you can do it if you listen to each other, support and not show your dominant "I".