Most of us have seen the news: celebrity marriages falling apart because of infidelity. We all know about the famous people who cheat and are always the hot topic in magazines and tabloids. While a lot of us may think that high-profile personalities are more likely to be unfaithful than us normal people, most of the time what we see on tv is a reality for some marriages.
Married life isn’t always perfect, but acts of infidelity can permanently end a relationship and even break families. On top of dealing with the reasons your partner did what they did, it also compels you to move forward for the sake of your relationship and your family.
But why do people cheat?
There are motivating factors that contribute to why people commit infidelity. Here’s a look at the reasons for cheating in a relationship:
Anger or revenge
Sometimes, people cheat out of anger or their desire to get revenge. Anger-motivated infidelity may not always be about having revenge on their partner. Sometimes, it is about frustration in a relationship when your partner does not understand you or even anger because of an argument. Regardless of what the reason may be, anger can act as a powerful motivator to commit adultery.
Falling out of love
The feeling of being in love with someone may not be a consistent feeling. Often, we find ourselves not loving our partner the way we loved them during the early parts of our relationship. Once the glitter fades, you may realize love isn’t there anymore and sometimes you may realize you’re in love with someone else. This may be a factor in why some people cheat on their partner.
Why do people cheat?
Commitment Issues
Sometimes, there are people who have a hard time committing to one relationship and may be more likely to cheat multiple times.
Unmet needs
Most relationships aren’t perfect, but sometimes one of the many reasons for infidelity is one or both partner’s unmet needs in a relationship. Unmet needs can lead to frustration and if the situation does not improve, this provides motivation to look for those needs met by someone else.
Low self-esteem
Wanting to boost one’s self-esteem can also motivate marital infidelity. Being with a new person can make you feel empowered, attractive, and confident. These feelings build your self-esteem.
With what we see today, cheating in a relationship is more common than we might think. It may feel that infidelity in relationships and even marriages may be inevitable, cheating does not simply happen. Just like every relationship, it needs to be nurtured and protected to avoid acts of infidelity.
Here are some ways to protect your marriage from infidelity.
Communicate with Your Partner If You Are Tempted
The most simple way to protect your relationship is by communicating. Make sure your partner knows that loyalty is very important for the both of you. You can both talk things out about how you can work out a healthy relationship. You also need to understand that you need to hear their feelings, too. Communication is always a two-way process!
Keep Each Other Close
Beyond the physical sense, keep your emotional connection strong and keep it intimate with your partner, maintaining a close emotional and physical connection. Make them feel you are with them through hard times and good times and never make them feel for granted. In the same way, let them know if they are letting you feel that way.
Never Make Each Other Feel Small
Healthy communication is the stepping stone to a healthy relationship. Through communication, you can let your partner know your needs and theirs, too. One of the worst things you can do in a relationship is to belittle each other. Do not make your partner feel they’re lesser than you or feel small. In the same way, let them know when they are making you feel that way.
Ways to Protect Your Marriage from Infidelity
Hold Each Other Accountable
Being accountable is being responsible to another person for the commitments you made to them. To maintain marital fidelity, both of you should hold each other accountable. Avoiding issues may keep the peace in a short period, but it eventually will hurt the relationship. If you or your partner commit mistakes, it is best to keep each other accountable to protect your relationship.
Make a Commitment Towards Growth
Last but not the least, make a commitment to keep growing in your relationship. Sometimes, the main reason relationships fail is because they do not grow. From time to time, have conversations with your partner about how you can both make your relationship grow and how you can both grow together.
Most marriages aren’t perfect. But it can be loving and healthy, and most of all, it can be loyal. Unfaithfulness in marriages may be common nowadays, but it should not always be like that. In the ways mentioned above, you can protect your relationship or marriage. It just takes a lot of motivation and support from one another to make it work!
You got this, mommies!
sources: bustle.com, aarp.org, imom.com, healthline.com, freepik.com
