With open relationships gaining steam around the world, we’re in a moment where relationships are being redefined. Beyond a relationship style, open relationships offer a unique opportunity to discover one’s self and grow from it. When we navigate emotions, communication, and trust within an open relationship dating framework, we can learn about ourselves and our inner-desires. We can grow as people not just within the relationship but well outside of it.
Today we’ll look at all the ways we can grow from an open relationship dating scenario.
Discovering Your Inner-Desires
Open relationships provide a safe space to uncover and understand what you truly want out of love, intimacy, and connection. This is a far cry from the expectations many have regarding open relationships, mostly due to inaccurate and caricature media and TV portrayals of people in open relationships.
By exploring new dynamics, you can tap into desires you may not have previously realized were important to you.
For many in traditional relationships, they have a difficult time admitting to themselves what it is they really want out of the relationship. They don’t communicate desires freely. The most notable example of this is denying that someone either of you know is attractive. It almost feels like cheating to do so. Because of this, we try to suppress the desire to a point where we even lie to ourselves.
The journey of self-awareness empowers you to live more authentically and stay true to your personal reality.
Strengthening Communication Skills
Communication is the pillar of an open relationship. Having honest conversations are the centerpiece experience of an open relationship. This is a really important point. That’s because in traditional relationships, freely communicating is almost looked down upon. Maybe not overtly, but definitely it goes without saying that you should not over communicate.
“Why are you always so negative?”
“I thought you were happy?”
These are things you might hear from a partner in a traditional relationship after bringing up a difficult topic.
But communication skills build your romantic life. They create confidence. And having communication skills can carry over into your regular life.
Here’s the big thing: you can’t have an open relationship without improving communications. If you are in an open relationship without open communication, you’re probably just kidding yourself. To even begin an open relationship, you must express the desire for that style of relationship, which is deeper communications then you likely ever had prior.
Building Emotional Resilience
Jealousy is often viewed as a negative emotion, but it can also be a powerful teacher.
In open relationships, you must learn to navigate challenges associated with jealousy. Long gone will be the days of deploying passive aggressive tactics because you think your wife or girlfriend finds her coworker attractive. In an open relationship, these become head-on topics.
Over time, you’ll become emotionally resilient. This will in turn make you better equipped to handle challenges in all areas of your life.
Expanding Empathy
Empathy is one of our most cherished attributes in any relationship. A deeper understanding of others helps build stronger connections. You’ll become more compassionate, both in and out of the relationship.
How do open relationships help build empathy?
Open relationships encourage active listening. In an open relationship, partners must communicate openly about feelings, needs, and boundaries. This level of transparency requires active listening – not just hearing words but truly understanding the emotions and context behind them.
You’ll learn to understand diverse perspectives. Every partner in an open relationship brings their own experiences, emotions, and expectations to the table. To maintain a working relationship, you’ll need to see experiences and situations through their eyes and respect their viewpoints. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could be more helpful today given how divided people are in general.
Conclusion
Open relationships offer more than just a different approach to love and intimacy – they’re a profound tool for personal growth. By fostering open communication, confronting jealousy, and embracing vulnerability, you gain emotional resilience and a deeper understanding of yourself and others. These relationships create a space for self-discovery, empathy, and authentic living, reshaping not just how you relate to others but also how you navigate the world. Whether you’re seeking greater connection or exploring new dynamics, the lessons learned from open relationships have the power to enrich every aspect of your life.