Knowing when to leave a relationship can be confusing and scary at the same time.
Ideally, you want to give your relationship a chance to succeed, but you also don’t want to spend too much time with the wrong person.
Even though you know you should leave, you may have conflicting feelings about the future of your relationship.
It’s understandable to be confused, afraid, or anxious when it comes to ending a relationship.
Seriously, it’s not easy to abandon everything you’ve struggled to build with someone and start life afresh.
However, if you want to have a chance at finding the love of your life, you need to let go of a failing relationship.
In this article, we discuss how to know when to walk away from a relationship and the unmistakable signs to watch out for.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY FROM A RELATIONSHIP
If you see these obvious signs in your romantic relationship, take them as a cue to leave and never look back.
1. You’re unhappy most of the time
Do you constantly feel sad or depressed in your relationship? That’s a sure sign you need to walk away.
When a romantic relationship no longer brings you joy or adds anything meaningful to your life, it’s time to leave.
In a healthy loving relationship, couples make each other feel happy and secure.
Even if one of them gets sad, it’s only temporary and the feelings of sadness usually go away after some time.
While your happiness doesn’t depend on your partner they should be able to add to it and not be the cause of your pain or sorrow.
2. You’re not the best version of yourself
As an individual with aspiring dreams and big goals, it’s normal to want to improve at every stage of your life, and having a partner shouldn’t hinder your success.
In fact, when you’re with someone who truly loves you, they’ll support you to achieve your life aspirations and you’ll experience growth in all areas of your life.
So if you’ve been with your romantic partner for a while and you realize that there has been no positive improvement in your life, that’s a good reason to leave.
3. You fight a lot with your partner
Another sign it’s time to leave a relationship is when you’re unable to find a common ground as a couple.
A healthy relationship involves open communication, active listening skills, and good conflict-resolution skills.
This means even though you fight, you should be able to resolve your conflicts quickly and reconnect with your significant other at the end of the day.
However, if you’re constantly fighting over the same issues and can’t agree on anything, it’s a sign that your relationship is not working.
4. Your partner abuses you repeatedly
Whether it’s physical, verbal, or emotional, you should never endure abuse in any relationship.
A romantic partner who loves you will not hurt you deliberately, instead they’ll want to protect you from pain because your happiness is their top priority.
If your partner calls you derogatory names, criticizes you when you make mistakes, or hits you when they’re angry, you need to walk away from that relationship as soon as possible.
Staying in an abusive relationship can be detrimental to your mental health, emotional well-being, and physical health, so you need to leave before it’s too late.
5. Your partner constantly puts you in dangerous situations
Another reason to walk away from a relationship is when your partner’s actions threaten your life.
For example, if your significant other has a drinking or gambling addiction and is always putting you in financial trouble, it’s not healthy for you to stay with them.
Naturally, you’ll want to support a partner you love during challenging times and always be there for them.
However, if they’re unwilling to help themselves become better, there’s nothing you can do to improve the situation.
And you’ll end up losing yourself in the process of trying to save them from their unhealthy habits.
No matter how much you love someone, it’s never going to be enough unless they’re ready to change their bad habits and build a meaningful life for themselves.
A romantic relationship is meant to give you peace, comfort, and stability.
If you’re having sleepless nights in your relationship because of your partner’s reckless actions, it’s time to leave.
6. You feel trapped in your relationship
Do you constantly feel trapped and desperately long for freedom? That’s a big sign you need to end your relationship.
When you’re in a good relationship with a loving partner, you’ll feel independent, happy, and free to be yourself.
This doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want without your partner’s knowledge, but you’re allowed to express your feelings openly, make your own decisions, and explore your hobbies.
One of the common signs of being in the wrong relationship is that you’ll constantly feel restricted, oppressed, and belittled.
Most people typically feel this way when they’re with a controlling or narcissistic partner who puts them down all the time.
If you need to hide to do anything that makes you happy because your partner will not approve of it, you should consider leaving the relationship.
7. You’ve developed mental health issues because of your partner
Do you feel like you’re losing your mind?
One of the major signs of being in a toxic relationship is that you’ll doubt yourself and question your own sanity.
For example, you notice that you can’t control your thoughts, silence the mean voice in your head, or trust yourself to make good decisions anymore.
You also realize that you’ve developed chronic anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder because of your partner’s constant nagging and criticism.
When you live in endless fear due to someone’s abuse, you’ll be unable to grow as an individual, and remain stuck for a long time.
It’s wise to walk away from a relationship if you feel traumatized or mentally unstable as a result of associating with your romantic partner.
8. You don’t see any future for both of you
Another reason to end a romantic relationship is when you don’t see any future with your partner.
Maybe you’ve been together for several years and have invested so much into building a relationship, but it seems you’re not going anywhere.
This is a sure sign it’s time to leave unless you have more time to waste on something that has no future.
If you’re looking for more commitment or marriage and your partner isn’t ready to offer any of that anytime soon, do yourself a favor and move on.
9. Your personal needs are not being met
Everyone has relationship needs and wants that they expect their partner to fulfill.
For example, most people expect to get trust, loyalty, and respect in a romantic relationship.
When those emotional needs are not met, it can make you feel unhappy and neglected.
Another reason to walk away from a relationship is when you have a selfish partner who refuses to listen to you and provide what you need to enjoy a healthy love life.
If you feel sidelined, unwanted, or taken for granted, that’s a viable reason to leave a relationship, especially when you’ve complained and nothing has improved.
10. You’re emotionally drained and mentally exhausted
Being in love is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world, and when you’re in a good relationship, you’ll feel empowered.
Each time you see your significant other, your heart will leap for joy because of how loved they make you feel.
However, when you’re in an unhealthy relationship, you’ll constantly feel overwhelmed and stressed by thinking of your partner or being around them.
If someone drains your energy instead of giving you joy or contributing to your life positively, it’s time to walk away from them so you can heal and grow.
11. You’re having second thoughts about your relationship
Have you gotten to a point in your relationship where you don’t know if you should stay and put in more effort or just leave?
One of the most obvious signs it’s time to end a relationship is that you’ll be confused about your next move.
This is because if your relationship is on the right track, you’ll be certain of where you’re headed and won’t question your actions.
You’ll feel loved, secure, and wanted by your romantic partner.
In fact, when you’re in a committed relationship you’ll plan your future as a couple and leave no room for doubts because you’re sure you belong together.
So if you’re having doubts or second thoughts about your relationship, it may be a sign that it’s time to leave.
Conclusion
It’s normal to feel sad, confused and conflicted when you’re about to end a relationship.
This is because you’re afraid of what the future holds, and you’re not sure if you’ll find a better partner.
You’re not the only one who has gone through this phase and it’s okay to be afraid.
However, it’s important to remember that life itself is a risk, and it’s better to take a leap of faith than to stay stuck in a bad relationship.
So take a bet on yourself and believe that the love of your life is out there. It’s only a matter of time before you meet each other.
And at that moment, you’ll reflect on your choices and realize that you made the right decision to walk away from a relationship that wasn’t working.
Recommended Reading:
10 Things You Should Never Tolerate In A Relationship
10 Warning Signs To End A Relationship
21 Obvious Signs Your Relationship Is Over
About The Author
Jennifer Dagi
Jennifer Dagi is happily married to her best friend and the love of her life.
As a relationship coach, she is passionate about helping couples build healthy and happy relationships.
She strongly believes communication and intimacy are the most important ingredients for building a successful relationship.
Join her on a fabulous journey to improve your love life one step at a time and don't forget to subscribe for weekly blog updates.