So you’ve been thinking about broadening your sex life a bit? Well, we can’t say we blame you. Many relationships tend to play out the same way these days as most people are looking for plain comfort and simple life. However, not all of us are willing to sacrifice our flamboyant ways and settle down in a monogamous relationship.
What Is an Open Relationship?
In a day and age when everything has a label attached and every group has a name, it’s only fair that we differentiate certain types of relationships from one another. Hence, in a sea of all kinds of human relations, we can say that there’s a significant group of people who consider themselves as being in an open relationship.
Neither partner has any problem with the other having sexual relationships with other people. They don’t consider it cheating since they accept the fact that they do it too. However, even though they’re seeing other people — they still consider each other the primary partners. Their relationship is above every other they create along the way.
Couples in open relationships frequently take part in threesomes, seeing how they accept the need for more diverse sexual activities. They’re usually completely open about their actions because transparency is the pillar of their mutual trust. All in all, it can be a loving relationship that’s built on mutual acceptance of sexual freedom.
Why Would You Want an Open Relationship?
If you feel too much pressure in a classic relationship, it may be time to reconsider your wants and needs. Being faithful to your partner, even if you love them and deeply care for their feelings, might be a problem for you, and you’re not alone. And no, you shouldn’t feel like something’s wrong with you — not at all. You’re just not meant to find happiness with a single person.
An open relationship is a great way of exploring all kinds of sexual fantasies. It can help a bisexual person have partners of both genders, which is a great way to explore different lifestyles simultaneously.
Aside from that, different people have different views on life; hence, opting to pursue more than one path can help you find your own way in life. One could argue about the morality of it, but since both of you consent to it — there’s nothing immoral about that type of relationship at all.
Is Monogamy Bad?
We’re not saying something’s good and the other thing’s bad. We’re simply implying that various people find satisfaction in different things. Sure, people often find that conventional relationships suit them better, but this isn’t the thing with everybody. Some have different emotional needs that call for more than one romantic partner.
Monogamy certainly has its redeeming features. After all, people wouldn’t opt for it if it were bad. However, as we’ve said, not everyone can find themselves able to function like that. Therefore, if you’re one of those people, you should try and experiment with sex with others if your partner is willing to accept that.
Rules and Boundaries
For an open marriage or relationship to work, you’ll need to set certain rules. Even if an open relationship is something that’s breaking certain norms and traditions, it still needs to be regulated by the participants in one way or another. This lifestyle can easily lead to problems if you don’t lay the proper foundations, seeing how easily people get jealous when it comes to intimate things.
So talk it over within your primary relationship, and set the groundwork for your new lifestyle. Communication is essential when it comes to these things as you don’t want to risk anything going sour. All parties involved need to fully understand each other’s feelings. That way, you’ll have a better chance of succeeding.
Dealing With Jealousy
As we’ve said, it’s important to set up ground rules for your open relationship to work. One of the main reasons we say this is to prevent jealousy from happening. This isn’t anything exceptional by any means. Having a romantic relationship with more than one person at a time isn’t for everyone.
People develop feelings for one another easily; hence, breaking their hearts by not telling them that you’re seeing someone else can be more than a handful. This is why we’ve mentioned rules and boundaries. Everyone needs to be aware of what’s going on and to give their consent for an open relationship to play out the way you want it to. It’s as simple as that.
Honest and open communication can ensure you don’t ever experience jealousy. As is the case with a classic monogamous relationship, sharing and understanding is its cornerstone. So if you want your open adventure to work out, you better be prepared to open up to your primary partner as well as listen to them carefully.