Good & Healthy Relationship Advice & Tips

After dating your significant other for a few months or years, you may be hoping to settle down and get married one day. However, your partner may have other plans. He or she may be content with just spending time with you and have no intentions of tying the knot.

If you never settle down and grow old with that special someone, don’t despair. A Pew Research report found more Americans are likely to remain single throughout their lifetime.

This is partly because society is placing less importance on the value of marriage. It’s no longer unusual to forgo a trip down the aisle, so it’s unwise to assume your partner wants to embark on that journey.

Here are some telltale signs your partner is just sticking around until someone better comes along.

1. Discussions about marriage are avoided

If discussions about making your relationship more permanent are shut down before you can even get started, this is a red flag. A partner who just wants to have a casual relationship will not want to discuss the possibility of getting married or even talk about other people’s upcoming nuptials.

2. You’re not in the future

If your partner talks about the future but you’re never mentioned in his or her plans, there’s a problem. Someone who is excited about your relationship and desires to spend a lifetime with you will make these intentions clear. Vague or nonexistent references to a future together are not a good sign if you have hopes of getting hitched. Relationship expert Evan Marc Katz says waiting too long for a commitment is just wasting time. There comes a point where you need to make a decision to stay or call it quits.

3. Your partner runs hot and cold

If things are hot and spicy one minute and then ice cold the next, your partner could be playing games with you. If you never know quite where you stand when it comes to a long-term commitment, your significant other could be buying time or just having fun until someone else enters the picture.

4. You want different things

Do you want children but your partner doesn’t? Are you dead set on monogamy but your partner prefers polyamory? This is a big indicator that you are not going to be walking down the aisle any time soon. Your best bet is to find someone who is compatible and has goals that more closely align with yours.

5. Your partner downplays your relationship in public

Feeling distant from your partner around their friends and family? This may be a sign marriage is not in your future. And if you haven’t even met their family yet, this is absolutely a warning. Matchmaker Siggy Flicker tells Today, “If your partner has not introduced you to his family and you have been dating for over 6 months, something is wrong.” Make sure you’re dating someone who’s proud to be with you, not someone who will keep you out of the spotlight.

6. Your partner tells you

The most obvious sign? Your partner tells you that marriage just isn’t in the cards. No matter what you do or say, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to change this decision. If you’re satisfied with dating indefinitely, then just accept it. However, if you know you’d like to settle down, this is your cue to move on.