You might not want to make a relationship anything serious, which is completely ok. However, you need to establish that from the start. And with that, you also need to remember a few other things to have a great casual relationship. Do you even know if you want to have a casual relationship? Here's how to tell what you want.
Be honest with your partner about what you want. How can you tell? Did you just get out of a serious relationship? Are you just looking to sleep around? Are you working on your finances? Are you working on getting your life in order? If you answered yes to any of these, then a casual relationship is probably best for you. Make sure you tell your potential partner this on the first date as soon as they establish an interest in taking things further or are making a move.
Hint: It's Not An Overall!
It is important to be willing to re-examine the relationship as needed. This involves regularly checking in to evaluate where both of you are as individuals and within the relationship. Do you want to be more than casual? Do you want to call things off? Be willing to respect each other's boundaries and set them from the start. What does that mean? Keep reading.
Be honest and upfront with your casual partner and yourself. Make sure your love interest and yourself are on the same page. If you are, you won't be passing any boundaries. When establishing this, you will understand that it is time to go towards the next steps in your relationship and much more.
Because you established boundaries and made sure of what each other wanted and needed, an important part of this is to make sure you are not being possessive. It will be easy to become comfortable having a partner by your side. However, when this feeling comes to mind, it is important to remember the established rules. Keep a few people in your mix, and don't make future plans beyond a few days.
Don't make this your everything. Remember, it is casual. Then again, no relationship should be everything you focus on. According to marriage.com, Some casual relationships can persist for months because they suit both partners. But in general, data shows that these relationships can be as short as two weeks to as long as three or more months.
Therefore, take it as something that will eventually end. Treat it as such. Don't expect it to last forever but give it the attention it deserves, and you will see that you will get more than you were looking for. A casual relationship is where you maintain a lightly-intimate relationship without needing to commit long-term – so don't stress.
