
The state I live in is currently on phase two of reopening. People are holding small gatherings. Fewer people are wearing masks in public.
In some ways, things seem more normal than they were before, but there’s still an underlying sinisterness to the outside world that makes things seem very different.
For me, at least. I’m overly cognizant of my hands: what they’re touching and where they are. I would love to go sit in a restaurant with my love (many are open in our area), but we’re both afraid of all of those shared things (table tops, napkin containers, etc.).
Watch: Single V.S. In a relationship. Post continues below.
In this new normal, a lot of us are facing weirdnesses in our relationships that run from the gamut of we’re doing too fine to why the f*ck am I with this person? All of those issues are legitimate and normal, and here are just some of what you may be dealing with.
1. You’re slacking on "quality" couple time.
You might be one of many couples that haven’t been "taking advantage" of this time (lockdown and the present) by boning 24/7 and hosting cute picnics in the backyard.
Further, stress can make things feel distinctly unsexy. You and/or your partner may have been essential employees and had to navigate the terror of that, and/or you might have faced financial challenges which can be extremely stressful.
If you and your partner were both staying home, it can be harder to be intentional when there’s so little separation between "work" and "home" time. You’d have to be creative for something to feel like a proper "date," and that likely has felt a little too much.
2. You’re thinking more in the short-term.
A friend of mine and her fiancé were supposed to get married in April, but our state went on lockdown in mid-March.
Their wedding has now been delayed until the end of the year, but they’re not even sure if they’ll be able to have it then.
Many couples aren’t sure what to do, so they’re just focusing on the day-to-day. They might be holding back on trying to get pregnant, change jobs, or get engaged/married because they want a better sense of how things are going to look in the future.