Everyone has different versions of what stages of relationships should be. Some people commonly engage in relationships that include stalking and restraining orders, while others engage in relationships that involve intense passion and marriage the next day. These are considered unhealthy stages of a relationship. For a healthy relationship to occur there are normally a few other stages that take place.
The First Stage is Attraction
This is not attraction for just one person but rather for both parties involved. This is started by physical characteristics and certain behaviors that catch someone's attention. Then similar beliefs and lifestyles create a desire to be with one another, along with a few complimentary traits thrown in that benefit one another in the long run.
This is the exciting stage where nothing can go wrong and everything is fun in the relationship. You accept one another for who you are and you start to form the basis of a committed relationship together. Sporadic dates and phone calls turn into nightly get-togethers and soon you are in a committed relationship where the labels boyfriend and girlfriend come into play.
The one thing about this stage is that everyone is on their best behavior and no judgements are being made. No gross bowel movement talk and no bad habits show themselves in this stage because the goal is to attract the other person completely and not scare them away.
The Second Stage is a Power Struggle
This is when you start to realize that your partner has some annoying habits and differences from you, and you start to wonder about the stability of the relationship. This is where the bowel movement talk becomes acceptable and bad habits flow out of every corner.
Maybe you are a neat freak and their messy side appears, or maybe you find out that they deal with stress in an unhealthy way like overeating or raging over stupid stuff, or maybe their cute twitch when they are nervous has now become annoying. This is the not-so-pretty stage, and it normally causes arguments and intense discussions about what is proper, right, and acceptable.
This stage can cause a lot of fights, hurt feelings, and breakups. But if you can make it through this stage and move onto the next one you will find that your relationship will become stronger and better for it.
The Third Stage is Acceptance
This is when you have accepted that they are never going to be a clean-freak like you and moved past the issue of trying to make them become like you. You have accepted them for the unique individual that they are and moved on to allowing yourselves to be who you are without hurt, blame, or fighting.
The Fourth Stage is Support
This is when you not only accept one another for your unique traits but support one another as well. You help them become the person they want to be by offering love, understanding, and patience. You are their rock when they need it and their partner in life. You are like two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly even though you are unique, and you are happy and co-dependent as a couple.
The Last stage is Death
One person will eventually die and leave the other one to fend for themselves in life. This where the person still on earth carries memories and love from their partner and uses that to propel themselves forward in life. This is why the uniqueness of one another is important, because it allows the surviving person to realize that they are still the person they were before the death of their partner. Of course their partner is in part what makes them the person they are but they are able to function as an individual.
Bellaisa's website, the Relationship Circle, has relationship advice for every stage of relationships as well as for single people who want to attract a relationship to them.