Communication is Key

Once you find someone that you are interested in, take the time to get to know him or her. Talk about the things that you want out of life and see if your goals line up. Also, talk about your expectations when it comes to a relationship. Let the other person know what you want to get out of a relationship and listen to what he or she wants as well. See if your wants and needs line up. If they don't, consider whether moving forward with the other person would be an additive to your life or if it would bring you farther away from the things that you want and need.

You can talk about all of this before either one of you makes a commitment. It can help the two of you understand how your future could look and it might show both of you whether or not you are moving in the same direction. You want to make sure that your paths are similar or that the path you decide to go on has the capability of leading both of you towards your own individual goals. If one person is satisfied and the other isn't, then there will be numerous issues in your relationship, so mull over the information that you learn about the other person regarding their wants and needs and see if those requirements align with your own. Some people want to be around their partner all of the time. Others like to have their space. Some people like to have a day where they go out with friends. Others like to spend more time with their families. See if you can cater to each other’s wants and needs without compromising your own.

Another thing you might want to discuss is boundaries. Let the other person know where you stand and where you draw the line. Let them know what will set you off and how you handle situations when your boundaries have been crossed. Ask them about their pet peeves and about what bad habits they have. For instance, what if that person likes going out every night and you don't? You might want to address that situation before the two of you get together. Also, what if that person has a mandatory family dinner on the weekends that he or she will not miss under any circumstances? Address that too.

You have to realize that the person that you are interested in had his or her own life and own obligations before you were even a thought in his or her mind, so you might want to make sure that the boundaries that he or she has are ones that you can live up to without disturbing your own routine. The same goes for him or her. You shouldn't have to give up everything you built before he or she entered the picture.

A partner should be someone that adds something to your life, and the two of you will have to come up with a way to incorporate your routines and responsibilities into your regular schedule without messing up the other person's schedule. If the two of you don't have similar boundaries or the ability to respect each other's boundaries, then it might not work. If your journeys are too different and you can't find a way to compromise so you both can get the things that you need out of the relationship without sacrificing everything else, then it might not work. You have to be able to find a way for both of you to continue your own individual journeys and to combine these journeys into a vision that both of you have for your future together.