Walking Away from an Unfulfilling Relationship

Know the value of walking away from a toxic relationship and choosing yourself.

Most people, if not all, enter a relationship hoping to find a partner who can support them emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

It’s a universal truth. We want to be with someone who can make us feel loved, valued, and appreciated.

And when they don’t live up to our expectations and we find ourselves in a toxic relationship, we can simply walk away and never look back.

But this is often easier said than done. Despite the clear disadvantages of being in a toxic relationship, some couples still remain together for long periods of time. They’d rather constantly fight and hurt themselves and each other than leave for good.

An unfulfilling relationship doesn’t benefit anyone. If anything, it just drains you of your energy until you have nothing left. So why do some people stay despite it all? When should you give up, and how can you learn to walk away?

Signs You Should Stay Away from Someone

Red flags are red for a reason. They’re supposed to catch your attention so you stop and think.

If you’re in a toxic relationship, you will notice various red flags that indicate the relationship is toxic and you’d be better off walking away.

So what are these signs? Let’s find out.

Lack of effective communication

Maintaining a happy and healthy relationship requires effort, patience, trust, and, of course, open communication.

It is through communication that you learn of each other’s feelings, desires, needs, and opinions. In short, communicating helps you learn about each other.

So what do you think will happen if your partner stops expressing themselves clearly? You will not understand what they’re trying to say, or worse, misinterpret their words and actions.

Lack of emotional support or understanding

Emotional support is essential to any relationship. It helps us feel heard, validated, and understood by our partners.

So if it’s lacking, or worse, doesn’t exist at all, you will feel lonely and frustrated.

It will also be difficult for you to work through challenges and conflicts because you won’t feel comfortable expressing your feelings or needs to your partner.

Feeling undervalued in the relationship

Feeling unimportant or undervalued in a relationship is a major red flag that you shouldn’t ignore.

Such unpleasant emotions could lead to even more negative issues, like low self-esteem and even anger toward your partner.

You might even find yourself doubting being a couple. Why bother being in a relationship if you’re not going to be treated like the amazing person that you are?

Walking away from someone who doesn’t value you isn’t a loss, so don’t be afraid to leave when they make you feel this way.

Feeling like the relationship is stagnant

Okay, many people go through times when they feel that their relationship is stuck in a rut. It’s just part of the cycle of living. After all, it can’t always be sunshine and roses. Healthy couples know this. They talk about it and they work through it.

But if your partner is content to just complain about that rut, yet never even try to climb out of it with you, it’s time to leave.

Sooner or later, that kind of low energy will douse even the individual joy you have for life itself.

Why People Stay in Unfulfilling Relationships

There are lots of reasons why people stay in toxic relationships. They may be scared of being alone, of the unknown, of hurting the person, or they hope things will get better.

Let’s discuss them further.

Fear of being alone

Sometimes, the thought of being by yourself is so overwhelming that you will feel like you’d rather be in a bad relationship than be alone.

You have a deep-seated fear of abandonment or rejection, causing you to cling to your toxic partner despite knowing you should leave.

You feel like you can’t do any better, or you don’t deserve to be happy, so you just stay in an unhealthy relationship.

Fear of the unknown

It’s scary to think about what life would be like without the familiarity and routine of a relationship, even if it’s a toxic one.

You may worry about things like how you’ll cope on your own when someone walks out of your life or whether you’ll even find someone new.

Fear of hurting the other person

This is especially true for empathetic and sensitive individuals. They don’t want to hurt their partner, so they’d rather stay and endure the pain of being in a toxic relationship than leave and save themselves.

Hope that things will get better

This is very common, especially for long-term couples. They have created lots of memories together, and some of those memories are happy ones. They cling to the idea that they can recreate those moments and things will get better.

They’re fixated on the “what was” rather than the “what is.” They’ve also invested a lot of time, energy, and emotions into the relationship, so they feel like they have too much to lose by walking away.

How to Walk Away from an Unfulfilling Relationship

People walking away from toxic relationships are not weak, but rather strong and determined.

Walking away from a relationship where you only get hurt might be tough, but you know what’s worse? Staying in that relationship.

So follow these tips to know how to walk away from a toxic relationship.

Have a clear and honest conversation with your partner

Communicate with your partner about your feelings and tell them the reason why you need to leave them for good.

Don’t sugarcoat things or beat around the bush. Just get straight to the point and remember to give them a chance to respond.

Lean on your support system

Breaking up with someone is an emotional roller coaster. There will be ups and downs, so you will need people in your corner to help you through it.

Your friends and family are there to support you, love you, and lift you up when you’re feeling down, so reach out to them. They’ll be there to listen to you and help you pick up the pieces.

It’s true that not everyone has the support system of loving family and friends. But there are still helpful options out there, such as therapy.

Take time for self-reflection and self-care

Put yourself first and focus on what makes you happy. Oftentimes, walking away from a toxic relationship is the perfect opportunity to rediscover who you are and what you want out of life.

Focus on your own needs, wants, and goals. Take up a new hobby, travel to a new place, or start a new project — anything that will make you happy and bring you joy.

Let Go and Move On

Sometimes, you have to give up on people and that’s okay. You’re not weak or cruel for doing that.

If anything, it takes guts, determination, and a whole lot of self-love to recognize when a relationship is no longer good for you and to take action to change that.

So if you’re ready, take a leap of faith and walk away. Your journey to healing will be tough, but trust the process and you’ll get there.