Better to be alone and free to think and explore than to be tethered to someone that holds you back from exploring life. Sex is a fucked up drug addiction without an opt out for most of us. I've made a lot of effed up decisions, but not marrying any of my 3 long terms was not one of them.
I don't know about y'all, but I changed a whole lot every 5 years since 20. I feel more settled in my late 30's
Getting disabled at 29 shakes my perspective away from any kind of norm. I can't imagine those changes meshing with anyone else and surviving this long.
I don't necessarily disagree, and everyone is different, but you should consider that it's not just you that changes. You change WITH your partner. You grow TOGETHER. I am absolutely different than I was 10 years ago, and so is she, but that doesn't mean that we're no longer compatible. Our growth contributed to each other's growth.
I do think people should be maybe... less attached? You should regularly evaluate your relationship to see if it's working. Shared interests aren't even always necessary (as long as they at least show interest in what you like and vice versa). But that is very hard and many people would rather not be alone.
I don't picture too many mates that can handle religious extremist conservative misogynist to atheist leftist open minded best intentions diversity ally. I could be wrong. Heck, in that span I've gained, dropped, and maintained more weight than anyone I've ever dated, going from ~250 to 350 to 187 and racing bicycles. I doubt I would have spent 3-4 hours a day on a bike while working 8-10 hours and racing on the weekend if I had married someone in my early 20's. I'd probably still be in bad health. I'm not all that bright right now, but I was a whole lot dumber in the past and having someone around that reinforced my biases was certainly a factor in my growth and development. It is hard to say how things would be different. It gets super lonely at times, but my situation is not standard there.
Thank you. This comment resonates a lot with me, as despite it having been over a year I'm still struggling with coming to terms with having had to break up a 5 year-long relationship for my own good (it's not that long in the grand scheme of things). The way I would describe it is that she was molding me into the person that I was expecting to become when the relationship started, which was totally different from the person I ended up evolving into. I am glad I did it, but I still struggle with the pain I caused her during the process.
I had back surgery last year at 29, and while I didn't end up disabled, I'm seeing my life change in small ways because of it. It's weird feeling so young but having to limit certain activities because you could become paraplegic if anything goes wrong.
I didn't have anything to add to your comment, I'm just glad you posted it!
Easily #1, but that's because they worded it as what her current interests are.
Just be interesting yourself, and put the work into finding out what about her interests are actually interesting. People find things interesting for a reason.
No one is actually boring, if you find someone boring it just means you dont understand them yet. Pay attention, listen, and try to see it through their eyes and maybe you'll find their "boring" interests aren't so boring after all, you just didnt "see" it fully yet to appreciate it.
And, typically, if you put the work into showing interest in whatever they are into, they'll reciprocate.
Also, there's infinite room for the two of you to both find new interests neither of you had before that now you both can share.
When my fiance and I started dating years ago, neither of us gave a shit about birds... but now that we live in a place with lots of cool random birds we can spot, and we go for walks everyday, we actually stop and go "holy shit what kind of bird is that, I dont recognize it" or "holy fuck are those pelicans? I didnt even know we got pelicans here!" etc etc.
The other day out of the blue when we were chilling at a nearby water reservoir watching a duck, a whole ass fuckin pelican came outta nowhere and swooped down, splashing into the water and sniped a random fish, then burst up with it in its mouth like... 2 feet in front of us. It was a pretty big "holy shit did that just happen?" moment.
If we hadn't been sitting there just enjoying watching a duck, we never would've gotten to see that pelican.
So, you know, maybe there's no such thing as "normie" interests, or a "boring" person. You might be the boring one if anything, because you can't understand why people love something and get interested in it...
I think you might be underestimating the intensity of some people's interests and how much of their being is defined by them, especially non-neurotypical people.
EDIT:
Like, if you live in a van with solar panels on the roof you should probably find a partner that's also cool living inside a van.
If you spend a significant stints at home wearing a fursuit, you should probably find a partner that enjoys or at least doesn't mind living with what looks like an anthropomorphic furry creature.
If you regularly consume large doses of halcinogens to explore the limits of human consciousness you should probably find a partner that's doesn't mind hearing about how you saw an infinite blade made of time that slices the present moment into two parts: the past and the future.
Personally I think interests are vastly overrated. Relationships are not about whether you enjoy what you do together, but whether you enjoy doing it together. Part of the magic of a long-term relationship is developing those unexpected shared interests over time rather than going in from day one with the attitude of "I want to date myself".
I was married for 13 years to a BPD witch. It was abusive, one time I spit my own blood in her face (proud of that). She liked to pick fights and hit me. Other than restraining her from hitting me and catching punches, I only got physical twice. Once with a coat hanger and once when I slapped her while I was holding a baby. Finally lost my religion and got out.
After some time, I started dating again. Using OkCupid when it was still good. Made two piles. One night stands and prospects.
All the crazy ones went into one night stands. It was fun.
Prospects were primarily sorted by intelligence, communication, kinkiness, career, having failed relationships and kids. First date was a lot like a job interview.
I hunted down the white buffalo. We just bought a play farm. She's nasty in bed, makes great money, is an amazing cook, sweet as pie, smart as a whip, has a fat bottom and is easy on my eyes. She's all around a better person than me.
Second time around I married up. I do my best to measure myself against making her happy.
We compare ourselves to mules. We're both pulling, if one mule stumbles, the other pulls harder until we can both pull again.
We've had tense discussions. Never yelled except during danger and never in anger. It's so easy it's scary. Trust and love that are still growing.
I'm you but still on the dating apps. So glad I got out of my marriage to that insane excuse for a woman, but man is the current dating landscape an absolute shitshow.
Nope. I married a bpd woman when I was young and she eventually turned on everyone in her life. Not saying people with bpd don't deserve treatment and sympathy but interacting with someone with untreated bpd is exhausting, traumatic, and not worth it.
I get that. I think there are higher highs and lower lows. I honestly can't even begin to imagine what it'd be like dealing with two or more breakups at the same time.
I'm with 2 but instead of shared interests it's shared sense of humor and tendency toward self destructive alcoholism. I'm more and more convinced it's going to blow up in my face.
I was with a #2 for 9 years until I escaped. Then when I wasn't looking for a partner I was just meeting people and living for myself and then that's when I met the perfect person. Approaching a year and a half and it's such a breath of fresh air to be with someone who is on the same team.