7 Signs It’s Time to Break Up

Wondering if it’s time for you to take the romance off-ramp? Here are some danger signs that are the equivalent to a flashing red light on your dating dashboard.

Things are moving along at break-neck speed

You just met last week, and you’re already catching her eyeing engagement rings. Whether you’re looking for something that serious or not, a racecar relationship is almost certain to crash. Getting to know somebody on any kind of meaningful level takes time. Even if you’re having fun now, the fast lane robs you of the chance to form an organic, lasting bond. If she won’t slow down, it could be time to pull over and get out altogether. You might want to put that Things are moving along, except they’re not

Your love life has practically stalled out. It isn’t so much that you’re bored. You just wonder if this thing is ever going to get out of second gear. You want to take things to the next level, but whenever you try to shift up, she pulls the emergency brake. If you want more and she doesn’t, you should consider trading up for a girl who will get you where you need to go.

She overheats… or pushes you to

All couples have disagreements and even arguments from time to time. But watch for patterns, and if your family or friends have concerns, listen. A woman who is critical, gives in to her temper, or uses emotional blackmail has serious defects. Make good use of the lemon law.

One of you is always the driver

When it comes to equality of the sexes, the key word is equality. If one of you never lets the other behind the wheel, how is that equal? A healthy relationship has balance. If things are always pulling to one side or the other, there’s a serious problem with your alignment.

She keeps you cooped up in the garage

If she constantly checks up on you, accuses you of flirting just because you smiled at the girl at the drive-thru window, or doesn’t want you to see your family or friends, there’s a problem. Trust is important in any relationship, and no one relationship should be everything to a person. A woman who won’t let you out of her sight may need to get out of yours. Unless you’ve given her reason to be jealous, in which case maybe she ought to be the one doing the dumping.

You have different destinations

One of you prefers to find your way as you go, but the other has the GPS set on marriage. One of you hopes to have a row of car seats in the back someday, but the other is completely attached to the two-passenger model. One of you has dreams of traveling the world, but the other is on the fast track to a very stationary career. If you’re headed in different directions, it simply isn’t fair to either of you.

Things are stop and go

A partnership that goes back and forth between stomping on the gas and slamming on the brakes has serious underlying issues. No two people agree on everything, but if the two of you are on-again-off-again, a full inspection is definitely in order. Things may or may not be worth fixing.