The Path to Partnership: Fostering Commitment in Relationships

Your most fulfilling relationships, where you’re truly able to be yourself, will likely come later in life. Despite your best efforts, relationships probably haven’t been easy for you. At times you may feel blocked, as if some barrier prevents you from finding a partner or connecting to the one you’re with. It could be a literal boundary that inhibits you — like you meet someone ideal but they live in a different city or are already involved with someone else. Or when you do genuinely bond with someone, it seems hard to maintain. Something gets in the way of it lasting or of you could feel dissatisfied. It might seem like something’s missing or maybe things just don’t feel right. It’s possible you feel more alone being in a relationship than when you’re actually by yourself, but because you fear being on your own, you may stay in partnerships where you compromise your needs.

You’re looking for a partner who will take action to claim you. You feel confident that they’re committed because they’re unwavering and clear about their intentions. There’s something solid and reliable about them — they’ll show their love by defending you and will be there when it’s important.

For these reasons, you feel secure with them; it’s obvious to others that they’re committed — they’re happy to take part in a traditional, monogamous…