20/02/2023
𝟗 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
People refer to their romantic partner as their “significant other” because that’s precisely what they are, a significant one whom they love and appreciate.
Being significant means being a priority, not an option. In a romantic relationship, wanting to feel significant and unique to your partner is normal.
But sometimes life happens, and there will always be inevitable circumstances where other commitments such as family or work may have to take a back seat, but this should be the exception and not the norm.
If you constantly feel like you’re not a priority in your partner’s life, it’s important to recognize the signs that might mean you’re just an option to him/ her.
Signs You Are an Option, Not a Priority
Start by asking yourself these questions:
- Do you often feel that your partner doesn’t put you first?
- Do you plan your life around hers and hardly - ever your own?
- Do you feel your partner doesn’t respect or “see” your needs?
- Does he/ she make you feel it’s up to you to make all the effort?
- Do you generally feel unappreciated and unsupported?
If so, these are all indications that your partner views you as more of an option – not a priority.
There are better places to be. In fact, being made to feel an option by the person we love is a horrible place to be, which can take a toll on our happiness and health.
Here are 9 signs that you may be an option, not a priority.
𝟭. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁
Maybe you feel like you make all the effort in the relationship but don’t feel it’s reciprocated. For example, whenever there is something that he/she really wants to do, you pay attention and keep the date free in your schedule to make sure that you’ll be available.
Or maybe he/she never seems to want to take you to important events with her work or family?
This can leave you feeling like you’re not “good enough” or “important enough” for him/her to want to show you off to people.
You’re eventually going to feel unhappy and unappreciated in your relationship.
𝟮. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁
Communication is critical for any relationship that can take a toll on our happiness and should be a two-way street.
If your partner never contacts you first, it might be a sign that she doesn’t think about you during the day. A good partner will always try to find little ways to make their loved one feel special, even if by sending a quick text message.
But if you feel like you always have to initiate conversations and never your partner, this could be a sign that they see you as an option rather than a priority.
If so, then that is not a fair or balanced relationship.
𝟯. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀
Does your partner only contact you at the last moment to make plans to go out? Maybe they aren’t considerate of your schedule or life plans and expect you to drop everything whenever they call.
Maybe you feel like a last resort and that they only seem keen to spend time with you when they’ve exhausted all their other options.
There are better ways to be treated. In fact, it’s a horrible way to be treated by someone who is supposed to love and respect you.
If your partner constantly treats you this way, it’s time to reclaim your masculinity and self-respect or walk away.
𝟰. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆
The saying that “love is blind” really does have some truth to it.
Whenever we have deep feelings for someone, we really want to only see the best in them. This can lead to us trying to rationalize or explain away our partner’s behaviour, even when they are treating us horribly.
If your partner constantly lets you down; for example, maybe they miss important dates like your birthday or planned dinner dates with your family and friends, and then when you try to bring it up to them, your partner nonchalantly invalidates your feelings, then this is a form of emotional manipulation. You don’t deserve to be mistreated or disrespected in this way.
It may be time that you learn to self-love, make yourself a priority and walk away from your relationship.
𝟱. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀
A relationship is a partnership, and when you build a life with someone, the least you can expect is to be consulted about the big decisions they might make.
But suppose your partner keeps making important decisions, whether related to his/ her career, health or family, without consulting you. In that case, this is a massive red flag that you are not his/ her priority.
𝟲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱
Romantic relationships are meant to add to our happiness, not take it away. But if our partner always treats us as an afterthought and does not respect our wants and needs, this can make us feel unhappy and even lower our confidence or self-esteem.
Whenever we’re in a relationship, it should feel like we are part of a team, planning and building for our future together. Still, whenever we are constantly made to feel like an option at the bottom of somebody’s list, this can even make us feel depressed.
Have you noticed that you have become more insecure since being with your partner? Or do you find yourself feeling irritable, confused and unhappy regularly?
These can all be signs that your relationship is affecting your happiness and also a sign that you need to make a change, either to the dynamics of your relationship or the nature of the relationship itself.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿.
𝟳. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝘀/ 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆
When someone sees you as a priority in their life, they will want to introduce you to the people who matter to them.
If your partner never introduces you to their friends or family, it is a sign that they are not ready to fully commit to you. They might be afraid of what others will think, or they might not see you as a long-term partner.
If you've been in a relationship for a while and your partner never talks about you to her friends or family, it's a sign that you're an option, not a priority.
𝟴. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲
Does your partner constantly flirt with others, even when you're around? Maybe you've caught his/ her eyes up others or heard him/ her making suggestive comments to them.
This is a big sign that she sees you as an option rather than a priority. If your partner was indeed in love with you, he/ she would never do anything to make you jealous or insecure.
Flirting with other people in a relationship is a clear sign of disrespect, and it's definitely not something you should tolerate.
𝟵. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
A good partner will always try to find ways to improve the relationship and make their loved one feel special.
Maybe he/ she will surprise you with flowers or little gifts, or maybe he/she will cook you dinner and do everything you love.
But if your partner never makes any effort to improve the relationship, it might be a sign that he/ she doesn't see it going anywhere long-term.
If he/ she is constantly picking fights with you or starting arguments for no reason, it might be a sign that he or she is not as invested in the relationship as you are.
If he/she constantly threatens to break up with you or says things like, "I'm not sure if this is working out," or "I need some space," he/she is trying to manipulate to get what she wants, and it's a sign that she does not see you as a priority in his/ her life.
What to do if you feel like you’re an option, not a priority?
What do you do when you are not a priority in your partner’s life? How should we respond to someone always treating us as a choice or an option?
First, you need to start doing exactly what your partner is not; that is to start taking your needs seriously.
Sometimes, when we are so used to prioritizing someone else’s needs, we can forget what ours are?!
So a significant first step is to take a moment to list what’s important to you. What needs do you feel that your partner has been neglecting? What would you like to do more in your life, and how do you wish to be treated?
Next, have a calm and open discussion with your partner where you tell them exactly how you’ve been feeling and read out your list of reasons why your partner’s behaviour has made you feel this way.
Explain to your partner that you need them to re-evaluate their relationship priorities. Right now, read out your list of reasons why your partner’s behaviour has made you feel like your needs are not being met and that you’re being treated as nothing more than an option.
Finally, could you make it clear that although you love them and want things to work, you need to start feeling more of a priority moving forward?
Give your partner some time to consider what you have said and time to implement some changes. It may be that your partner sees where they have been going wrong, so they start making more effort.
The best-case scenario would be that they take everything you say on board, so you begin to feature a lot higher on your partner’s priority list.
But we also need to know that this may not be the case, and she may not take you seriously. He/she may be unable to see your viewpoint or make the necessary changes you deserve.
If this case, then it may be time to make yourself a priority and leave. This can be incredibly complicated, and you might need clarification or be more relaxed about how to proceed.
Takeaways
If your partner is always putting his/her needs ahead of yours, flirting with others, or making you feel like you're not a priority in his/ her life, it's time to talk seriously.
These are all clear signs that he/ she doesn't see you as a long-term partner and he/she is not interested in committing to you.
If you're unhappy with how things are going, feel free to speak up and tell your partner how you feel. If he/ she is unwilling to make things work, it might be time to move on.
Source: Andrew Ferebee