Your “soul mate” isn’t “perfect” for a reason

Relationships are challenging at times, especially as we grow as adults.  Relationships go through phases and stages.  Ideally, we would like to choose a partner that moves through the growth of the relationship with us.  We start from the “honeymoon” period where each partner presents him and herself as the ideal mate.  We’re kind of like living and breathing Facebook profiles.  Putting our best, ideal self out there for our new partner to see.  Of course they reciprocate, which makes us “fall in love” even more.  Everything is fun, exciting, and new.  We say to ourselves, “This is the one!  I’ve found them!”  Of course that honeymoon ends and each person exposes themselves for who they are.  The good, bad, all of it.

Obviously, that person we honeymoon with wasn’t real and now we’re left with the truth. Two flawed individuals who are far from perfect.  Sometimes these relationships last and evolve into life long relationships.  Most of the time these relationships end.  That’s ok. We’d rather end up with the “right” person and not settle.

It’s also very common for people to date the same type of person over and over.  Why is that?  We see this in our friends and can’t figure out why they can’t “find someone better”. Why?  At some level of our subconscious we seek challenges for our “stuff”.  We could call that emotional triggers, baggage, insecurities, whatever.  We seek out partners that put us into the very uncomfortable position of dealing with the parts of ourselves that need attention and healing.  The same goes for our partners in that we do this for them.  All of this is unavoidable.   Our minds tell us that we’re looking for that “nice guy that treats us right” or that “woman who knows exactly how to give me what I need”.  Don’t buy it.  Your greater sense of self doesn’t actually want that. It wants the challenge of growth.

Committed partners are there to push each other to grow and change.  Of course, none of this is actually enjoyable.  But it is necessary.  Even past relationships that seemed like disasters had a key part in the evolution of who we are.  Our minds imagine a scenario where a relationship can exist without conflict and discomfort.  Our greater awareness and sense of self knows better.  Most of the time what we have is exactly what we need in our relationship.  Happiness, pain, conflict, and all.  We might call that “perfect”.