Touch Me Tuesday: Red Flags versus Pop Quizzes

You keep looking at your date out the corner of your eye. There was something he said that sent your antennae up. Uh oh…is it something that you now need to worry about…is it a sign that this is not the person for you? I’ll bet you’re ready to run, aren’t you? You’ve been taught to recognize those “Red Flags” when they appear and in turn, make yourself disappear.

But…hold up. Is it really your “early warning system” that’s going off, or is it just a test of your appeal to someone who may be a little different from you?

So often we are ready to make our exit when faced with something new and unusual. Fear of the unknown…of the unfamiliar. We’re so use to living inside of our comfortable, lil’ boxes that something out of the ordinary scares us to bits! It’s so much easier to flee than to invest more time and energy into the budding or even committed relationship.

What happens when the situation is more complex than that? What happens when that sense of concern is less a “Red Flag” and more a “Pop Quiz”…a test of your faith in that person, in that situation, and in that relationship?

Yeah…not so easy to just pick up and break out, now, huh? All of a sudden, you feel the urge to look a little more deeply at the circumstances. Now you are truly faced with a “Fight or Flight” predicament.

Every misunderstanding, every difference, every warning isn’t necessarily a sign that your situation is the wrong one for you. As I spoke about in my last post, relationships are hard work, and there are often events that arise that make you question the path that you share with someone else. But before you step towards the door, take a moment to consider what it is that you’re facing. Is it a sign or is it simply a challenge? Are you expecting everything to always be good and easy, or are you truly willing to put in the work necessary to have a successful relationship?

Don’t let your fear of what may or may not be cause you to lose what you have. Yes, be mindful and be aware…but don’t be scared! Don’t turn a caution flag into a exit sign!!!