Are you ready for a no-strings attached arrangement?
No-strings attached arrangement – Are you ready? These are not my words and for the life of me I cannot find who wrote this. If it is you let me know so I can give you credit and besides I need the links!
I have never felt completely comfortable in monogamous relationships. Yet, I wonder whether or not I could actually have a relationship with more than one person.
After reading this story on xoJane, I have to say, uncommitted love seems pretty darn appealing.
But, where to begin? And, would it be right for me?
I spoke to marriage and family therapy counselor Moushumi Ghose. As well as a Olivia Senecal, my dear friend. They have been in a committed polyamorous relationship for the last five years. The two helped me come up with five questions anyone should ask themselves. This will determine whether or not they should try polyamory. Could it be for you?
Read on.
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What do you want your polyamorous relationship to look like?
Ghose says that “there are all kinds and combinations of polyamorous relationships.” And “many labels for such things. ” She herself prefers “to not use the labels. Sexuality and relationships are best when seen as fluid, and ever-changing.”
This is one of the appealing things about polyamorous relationships. For many people (including myself); they’re less rigid in guidelines and expectations than monogamous ones often are.
Senecal says that it’s incredibly important to figure out, beforehand, what your ideal relationship would look like. “How will casual dating be managed? Sexual safety? What happens when you fall in love and want to have more than one committed partner?”
These details may change and evolve as time goes on, but it’s necessary to have at least some specifications and ideas on what you want.
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What is your motivation for wanting this?
If you are searching for a lifestyle that works for you, and your ideal happens to involve more than one partner in a relationship, then that’s great. However, simply trying to seek out a bandage for couple issues is not likely the right reason for going into a polyamorous lifestyle.
“If you’re trying to fix a ‘broken’ relationship by adding more people,” says Senecal, “that’s probably not a good reason — and from my experience, often doesn’t end well.”
According to Ghose, people who have “struggled in traditional monogamous relationships might be more apt to find polyamory appealing.”
If it’s more of a personal preference, rather than simply you and/or your partner trying to improve things via a new person, then it’s more likely you’ll actually enjoy polyamory rather than just feeling obligated to adapt to it.
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Do you get jealous?
Look, jealousy is normal. When you have feelings for somebody, it’s difficult not to get a little stressed out when he or she is flirting with another person.
However, if you can’t look past jealousy and be comfortable with it, then polyamory probably isn’t for you.
This isn’t to say that polyamorous people are somehow immune to jealousy, “But when jealously does occur, it’s discussed,” according to Bjarne Holmes, a psychologist at Champlain College, in this Live Science article. “The person feeling jealous is encouraged to examine their own psyche to find out what’s bothering them and which of their needs aren’t being met. Then the pair (or triad, or quad) can negotiate boundaries.”
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Are you possessive?
Being possessive is never really a positive thing — unless both parties are consensual about it, such as in a BDSM relationship — but in a polyamorous relationship, it’s especially stressful.
If you’ve caught yourself getting more than jealous (like downright angry) when your significant other flirts with someone else, than polyamory isn’t the best fit.
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Are you willing to engage in complete honesty?
In monogamous couples, there is (ideally) nothing to lie about because (again, ideally) each partner behaves in a way that they feel respects the other partner’s wishes, often including not kissing or having sexual relationships with other people.
In polyamorous relationships, introducing another person is sometimes a bit rocky at first, and must involve total honesty and communication between all parties involved.
If you feel you can’t be 100% truthful with all your partners — or that you might feel guilty or uncomfortable — then that’s a warning sign.
If, however, you feel you’re genuinely, personally interested in a polyamorous lifestyle and feel you can abide by the rules of honesty, communication and respectfulness, then it may be a great choice for you and your love life.