The Flower Rule 2.0
Hey there Sunshines!
For those of you who have been around longer, you know about my Flower Rule of Dating. However, I have another explanation as why it's important and a more "in-depth" timeline for all you organized people out there (I see you fellow Type A person ;D).
The Flower Rule: When your relationship is in the early stages, it's like a fragile flower. You want it to blossom into a garden before it becomes a field.
Flower Stage:
~ Just started dating. Take it slow. Act like you're caring for most delicate and rarest flower. ~ Typically first 6 months of your relationship.
Broken down version:
1. The Budding Stage
~You've literally JUST started, like not even official yet. The interest is planted and now budding into something more.
~ 3 weeks of dating
2. The Blossoming Stage
~ OMG you've made it. You're official! The flower is now rooted and has more of a chance of surviving the path of life.
~ 3 months of dating.
3. The Multiplying Stage
~ Your relationship has become so well rooted, the flower has actually multiplied. Making it harder to die out.
~ 6 months of dating
Garden Stage:
~ Around the time when a couple decides to take their relationship to the next level (ex: promise ring, engagement, etc...).
~ Still care for it greatly.
~ Typically 6 months to 1 yr of a relationship.
Broken down version:
1. Simple (Small) Garden:
~ You two are growing a lot closer and starting to take things a little more seriously. It's around the time thoughts about the future start to drift throughout your mind.
~ 8 months of dating
2. Elaborate (Large) Garden:
~ Now you're both really growing closer, taking things a lot more seriously, and you not only think about the future, but you two discuss it maturely.
~ 1 year of dating
Field Stage:
~ Engagement or marriage.
~ Your love is strong and it will take a nuclear explosion to destroy it.
~ Typically 1+ years of a relationship.
Broken down version:
1. Farm:
~ At this point you two have decided that the future together is what you want and have made a move to make it permanent.
~ Typically 1 year of dating and engaged.
2. Thriving & Endless Field:
~ You have made it forever with vows of love.
~ 1 1/2 - 2 years of dating or 6 months - 1 year of engagement.
Now it is most definitely up to you and your significant other the exact time length before each stage, but this is what I recommend and what I've seen many successful couples do on their journey to true love (how cheesy of me lol).
Why is it important to take it slow? I can't tell you how many times I've seen people in a bad/unhealthy relationship or their relationship fail in the first 2 weeks of dating because of moving too fast. It doesn't matter how old or how experienced you are, it takes a lifetime for you to fall completely in love.
Even in my own experiences of dating (future posts), I HAVE to take it slow. Not because of rocky pasts, which I have, but because my heart can't handle fast love. Or in this case, false love.
However, I have seen successful, fast relationships. The difference is those are mature relationships (later post of explanation). When you're young I don't believe any such thing exists (lol). We really just want to have fun and base our love story off of Disney movies (me though).
xoxo Sunshines!