Deal Breakers

I love talking about love. I love listening to stories of how people met, what attracted them to each other, how they knew this person was “the one.”

The process begins, of course, with a simple interaction that occurs online or in person. Online we read the “resume” and decide to click that we are interested. We decide that based on whether they have a profile picture. If they don’t have one, why don’t they? If they do, who is in it with them? Do they have friends? Where are they (on a beach, in a bar, in their living room)? In person, our chat grows out of the venue where we meet. This may not seem important, but it does have huge implications. In a Marriage and Family class I taught, I had the students “speed introduce” themselves in pairs. I rang a bell and they had to move to the next spot. Afterwards we discussed what we had found out about each other – we found out about college majors, schedules, and jobs. We then discussed what we might have asked each other at a bar that we did not ask here (what kind of drinks we like, who else we were with, other bars we regularly go to). So, the venue has an impact on our first impressions and first impressions can determine if we will get the opportunity to get to know someone better.

What is interesting is that when we discuss our search for love, we generally begin with the list of qualities we are looking for in another person. It is, in part, a process of comparing the person we are getting to know with the idealized person we are looking for. We have a list of sorts: “They have to be established – they have to have a career.” “They have to be physically fit.” “They have to enjoy traveling.” “They have to be a Democrat/Republican.” “They have to love animals.” “They have to love sports.” “They have to be into Metal.”

Similarity is certainly an important part of our friendship with others; it is an important component of love. As intimacy progresses, we begin to discuss our likes and dislikes – of sports, music, animals, activities, and foods. It feels “right” when we enjoy similar things, when we are in sync with each other. It is also nice when differences emerge and then become similarities. We begin to like something just because the other person does. We enjoy seeing them happy and know our presence at some event or activity makes them even happier. They enjoy it more because we are there. This is also part of love. It is nice if they introduce us to some sport, music, theater, physical activity we never participated in before and we find we like it. This is part of being similar, of being in love. If our partner finds they do not enjoy some activity we like, we may find we start to do it less because we choose to do something that we can both enjoy. This is love too.

These adaptations to each other make us understand the importance of flexibility, of being able to change. When these changes make us happy, when we are making each other feel better about ourselves, making each other better people, then change is wonderful. This type of change is reflected in statements like, “I didn’t ski until we started dating, now I love it!” “I hated football, now I don’t mind watching it.” “I didn’t know I liked going to Broadway shows. I’m glad I went to one with you.” The key factor here is that these changes are “peripheral” – they add to who we are, what we like, what we know.

What does any of this have to do with deal breakers? Well, when couples come in complaining that one or the other or both “refuse to change” the issue is generally one that revolves around core values.   The couple, having grown in intimacy and enjoyment of each other’s company, has come to believe that a willingness to make peripheral changes is an indication that core changes are not only possible, they are probable and necessary.   The changes they now seek rattle to the core.

In part, this happens because while they had a list of qualities they were seeking, they did not have a list of “deal breakers.” So, their partner had the qualities on their checklist such as intelligence, humor, or ambition – they were allowed into their heart. Once there, the “deal breakers” begin to emerge but the evidence is pushed aside. This is reflected in statements such as “If he loved me, he would want to have children.” “If she loved me, she would understand that I want to move across the country. Leaving her family wouldn’t matter.”   In such cases, the change “required” doesn’t feel right and it doesn’t feel right because it involves a core value. Core values are such a part of who we are that changing them rattles us; we are suddenly in a conflict over loving someone but not wanting to change something in ourselves. So, we ask the other person to change.

The idea of deal breakers makes us seem rigid and unaccepting of differences. How can we reject someone because they disagree with us about something? Well, when that something is core to us, what we need to recognize is that we are not rejecting someone; we are seeking someone who is a better fit.

Let us explore the idea more: What are some potential deal breakers? For most of us it would be a deal breaker if someone were in prison on death row, but that is not true for everyone; some people write to prisoners on death row and do indeed marry them. This exemplifies how deal breakers are individualistic; we have to develop our own.

A more common deal breaker is one already mentioned – a disagreement over whether or not to have children. There is no compromise possible. Children are permanent; they cannot be given back. The one who wants children cannot say “If you loved me you would” anymore than the other can say “If you loved me you would agree to not have children.” It is a deal breaker, a difference in the core values one possesses. Another example I can give was a couple who came for counseling. One was an Atheist, the other a Born Again Christian. They bonded as they debated about morality. They respected the ethical lifestyle each lived. They loved each other. They wanted to marry, but were unable to agree on a marriage ceremony or on how to raise children. No compromise was possible. To be married in church was to go against everything an Atheist believes in; to get married without clergy would send a Born Again Christian to Hell. This stark difference in core values was a deal breaker for them.

Other deal breakers might be wanting to live in the artic zone while the other wants to live in the tropics, wanting adventure when the other wants stability, wanting material possessions when the other wants to live minimally and share with the poor, or wanting to have pets when the other is highly allergic, afraid or disinterested. It might be one enjoying spending time with family and the other viewing such time as intrusive on “their” time. It might be one believing that alcohol is a necessary component of having fun and the other believing it is not, one thinking of drug use as typical and the other as deviant. It may be one seeing the world from an optimistic point of view and the other from a pessimistic one.

Pursuing a relationship thinking the other person will change his/her mind is often counterproductive – a recipe for heartache. Yes, people can change but changing core values is unlikely. Our core values define us and the desire to change such values is minimal even if we love someone. Both parties often believe the other will change and heartache follows when the realization that this is not going to be the case emerges. A key indicator of this kind of problem is the phrase, “If (s)he loved me, (s)he would change”. This needs to be replaced with the question, “Would I be willing to change this about myself for him/her?” If the answer is no, then the change is not likely to be easy for either of you. It is best to move on; it is even better to check that “deal breaker” list before the heartache is too intense.

Differences are fun. Being able to introduce someone to something they didn’t even know they liked is fun. Growing together as individuals and as a couple is fun. The key is in knowing what we are willing to change in ourselves, not in someone else.

 

 

“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”         ― Aldous Huxley

19 thoughts on “Deal Breakers

  1. Great post Diane!!!…You probably know when it comes to relationship stufffff, I will definitely jump on this wagon……So true, people can change but changing core values is unlikely and yes when one thinks someone can change, it definitely is a recipe for heartache..an old Italian saying….”when one is born square,they will never be round”….and love love your last sentence…The key is in knowing what we are willing to change in ourselves, not in someone else.I really enjoy reading your blogs..Thank you Maria

  2. I love this i had a great time reading this, i will definitetly use this towards my relationship i enjoy your advice it is true what you say about people and their changes etc

  3. I find this post so interesting. There are so many females who go into relationships with the midset of “being the girl he changes for.”

  4. I completely agree. People can set high expectations when it comes to meeting someone, especially when it comes to looks. But some people don’t understand is that you can meet someone who has everything you want but would they truly make you happy? Also, you don’t have to change yourself for anyone, if the person who is insisting change is not willing to accept you for who you are, then there’s no need for a relationship with them because they’re going to keep expecting a change they’ll never receive, which would lead to more arguments.

  5. This isn’t only about picking a mate, it’s about keeping one! This reminded me on all the reasons I married my husband. It made me reflect on all that we have in common and love to do together and the sacrifices we make are in line with our goals and morals. People change overtime but morals stay the same and as long as those morals stay the same relationships can last forever with work and love!

  6. This is a common mistake and very difficult to avoid, at least for me in my relationships. Sometimes the chemistry and attraction draw you away from possible negativity of the deal breakers so they are often neglected. I agree, these should be addressed before the heartache could be worsened.

    Sometimes, difference in defining certain aspects of life can also stand in the way of discovering deal breakers. For example, if your love interest tells you they have a “close knit family;” the definition of a “close knit family” can vary without either participant realizing only to be brought to light pater on in the relationship. Realizing that the other person’s definition was really quite different and could become a deal breaker.

    Some advice you once gave me when I got married, always look back and remember what made you fall in love with him in the first place 🙂

  7. This post is amazing i love talking about love because it is such a wonderful feeling i actually met my girlfriend through someone and it was like love at 1st sight i never felt so happy and so much love in my life since untill i met this girl this post reminds me of how people talked about love and i would think they are crazy but now i know the feeling

  8. I really enjoyed reading about this because love is a really interesting topic to me. I have actually witness things like this happen in many relationships that my sisters have been in. I have also been in the situation where my significant other has introduced me to something he was into and I actually ended up enjoying doing it. I do agree that no one should change the person they are for someone else, you are who you are. Deal breakers are apart of life, I guess if it is meant to be it will be. I learned a lot from reading this. I will definitely keep this in mind upon my next relationship.

  9. I found this very interesting and so true! people including myself set high expectations when meeting someone. I feel that when we meet someone who we try to pursue in a more relationship level we adopt to what the other person likes . in that process you can loose yourself . I think no one should change who they are completely for a relationship.

    Leading to what you were saying with meeting some one with similarities. I can agree when you find someone with many similarities as you, It feel great because you get to enjoy their company, so being with each other make you happy. that’s when you Introduce each other to different actives and finding out you actually enjoy those actives. I will be keeping this blog in mind in my next relationship definitely !!

  10. I strongly agree to this article because,as the saying goes,”Action speaks louder than words”,some people tend to like and do things that their partners love because they want to show them their love by doing what their partners like that they didn’t like .For instance I used to hate soccer but my husband is a big fan so I have now develop interest in soccer. We now feel happy to watch soccer together .

  11. I think this is probably my favorite blog I’ve read so far because I can relate to it so much. I often find my self making a list of qualities for someone going into a relationship and I’m just so focused on it that I don’t think of the deal breaks. So once I go into a relationship as time goes on not only am I seeing the stuff I wanted I’m also seeing things I don’t like. This article has made me realize that when your in a relationship you always have to look for the deal breakers in people.

  12. Deal breakers are scary and sometimes we see it as having to much of a high standard whether then looking at it as “finding a better fit”. This notion does not only come from within but also those around us. It is difficult to receive support from friends and family if they do not believe in deal breakers. Within some of us deal breakers are another term for too picky, overly confident or too lazy to make things work. I know you mentioned identifying deal breakers in the beginning, what about years later; I wonder can we develop deal breakers?

  13. Reading this brings me back to a time where I thought I found the ” the one”. Everything was perfrct during the cupcake stage of our relationship. He taught me to compromise but It went to hell when only I had to change and he was always right. After him, I started to make my deal beaker list. A few of them was, ” He have to be up to date with fashion”, “He must love his mother”, ” He has to have goals not only dreams” and ” He have to love God and be saved”. My list is pretty long. Anyway, I can relate to the blog post. Thanks for posting.

  14. This is a very common relationship issue. With many, compromise (or changing for the benefit of growing with your significant other) knows no boundaries which can potentially devastate a relationship if not treated respectfully (like mentioned with the Atheist-Christian relationship in the article) It can also make one question how far are they willing to sacrifice their core values (the things that makes them ‘them’) in order to be closer to their partner. Is it really worth it?

    I do agree that chasing relationships with the notion of having someone that will change their minds clearly indicates It’s only a recipe for disaster and on a personal note, does illustrate that the individual is not ready for a relationship. A key factor in relationships are compromises and respect of individuality (core values being part of that) and if one can’t do that, the best thing to do is to work on themselves before they can work on others (similarly to what is mentioned at the end).

    I do enjoy this post a lot because it relates to many of the beliefs I have about relationships and to see someone who is so well educated in the field of psych. (The amazing Dr. Urban) tackle this kind of scenario it makes me wonder what other topics their could be similarities in.

  15. I agree with this article because it is true people set so many high standards for what kind of person they want to date. For example a lot of younger men in there 20’s will go for the girl with the pretty looks but have a bad personality now I am not saying all pretty girls have bad personalities but from my experience I have seen close friends of mine go out with girls who have stunning looks but they were not a very nice person and it doesn’t matter if they are a mean person they just like them because of there looks.

    Also one more thing I liked in this article is how similarities can be vital in a relationship. I agree with that fully because if you can find yourself a man or woman who likes the same music the same sports or anything that you like it makes the relationship more fun and less boring and you guys will have something to talk about and go out and do together.

  16. It is truly an intriguing piece of art, this said love, as it once was it no longer is as beautiful as it should be seen, for its true meaning has been circumfused through the many years and the ever changing measures to the ones we think we dream to have.

    Though the times have changed it is very satisfying to see that there are others that still keep the traditions of the meaning of love alive.

    kudos. It truly is an articulately composed piece, as to be expected from a truly superlative mind.

    ~Angeli Shixio~

  17. I enjoyed this blog post. As humans we tend to seek change. Our perception of the world can seem idealistic and dominant in regards to others. The truth is life isn’t perfect. When in a relationship, there will always be ups and downs. That is how humans are created. We are all sinners and all need to learn from Jesus. For instance, I am a christian believer. On the other hand, I have not rejected others who are different. In high school, my friend was an Atheist and she still is. I knew she didn’t believe in God the same way I did and our views were opposite. I understood that God doesn’t want us to discriminate against others who are not believers. Instead, he is asking us to guide them to believe. Although I couldn’t succeed in convincing her, we are still friends. For everyone has their own views and beliefs. If another has disagreements with you that is okay. Our differences is what makes us a whole. In other words, opposites bring out the best of each other. When friends with her I feel humble that I can be in her life. I am joyful that she accepts my beliefs although she doesn’t agree. And I accepted her beliefs although I disagree. God wants us to love those who are caused to deny. Another example would be if I had a boyfriend who was an Atheist. Just because he is an atheist doesn’t mean I don’t like him. I will still try to convince him otherwise and be persistent in my endeavors. Some people change and some don’t. Regardless if they change, I would never give up in spreading my beliefs. Because that is God’s calling to me.

Leave a Reply to Shanice Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.