Do you ever feel like delaying your response to your partner’s text because they took forever to answer the one you sent? Or perhaps you've caught yourself mentally tallying up your partner's mistakes, eagerly waiting for the perfect "I told you so" moment.
If you've been in these situations, you're not alone.
Many times, it's easy to get swept up in the tug-of-war between our knee-jerk emotional responses and the maturity that's expected of us in adult relationships. This leads to the big question: How is one truly an adult in a relationship?
Here's the thing: being an adult in a relationship isn't about your age, experience, or ignoring problems.
It's all about taking a conscious and empathic approach to loving your partner. It's about developing skills like emotional intelligence and active listening, embracing vulnerability, navigating conflict with maturity, utilizing modern communication styles, and committing to individual and collective growth.
The best part? These skills don't just make you a better partner; they enhance your emotional well-being and every relationship in your life.
If you're ready to level up your relationship and create deeper, more satisfying connections, read on. This guide is your roadmap to becoming the emotionally mature partner you've always wanted to be (and have).
What Does It Really Mean to "Be an Adult" in Relationships?
Being an adult in your romantic partnership doesn't equal being perfect or never making mistakes. It's about being as intentional as possible while you navigate life's journey together. Remember when you thought being an adult meant having all the answers? Then you grew up and realized adults are just winging it, too. The same goes for relationships.
Essentially, adulting in relationships is the willingness to:
- Look inward and challenge your assumptions about yourself and your partner;
- Continuously evolve both as an individual and as a partner; and
- Show up fully in your relationship, even when it's uncomfortable or challenging.
At its core, being an "adult" in relationships is about practicing mindful loving.
What is Mindful Loving? Why Is It Important for Healthy Relationships?
Mindful loving is being fully aware and present in your relationship. Like mindfulness, it involves being in the moment with your partner without judgment or distraction. This approach is closely related to the concept of loving-kindness, which emphasizes compassion and non-judgmental care for both oneself and others.
The highly practical guide How to Be an Adult in Relationships explores the five keys to mindful and conscious loving. In this book, psychotherapist David Richo outlines these principles, which he calls the Five A's—Attention, Acceptance, Appreciation, Affection, and Allowing—which form the backbone of every mature, fulfilling relationship.
As Richo wisely puts it, “Most people think of love as a feeling, but love is not so much a feeling as a way of being present.” Let’s delve deeper into each of these Five A's to understand how they contribute to mindful loving.
Attention: Being Present in Your Relationship
Mindful loving begins with attention, being fully engaged, and being present with your partner. This practice ensures that you are truly hearing and seeing each other, which is foundational for any healthy relationship.
Acceptance: Embracing the Whole Person
Acceptance is about loving your partner as they are, embracing both their virtues and flaws. This approach fosters a deeper connection and helps create a space where both partners feel valued and respected.
Appreciation: Expressing Gratitude Regularly
Appreciation goes beyond acknowledgment; it’s about actively showing gratitude for your partner’s presence in your life. Regularly expressing this gratitude strengthens the bond and reinforces the positive aspects of your relationship.
Affection: Demonstrating Love Through Actions
Affection isn’t just about words; it’s demonstrated through actions. Whether through a warm hug, a kind word, or a thoughtful gesture, affection is the physical manifestation of your love.
Allowing: Giving Space for Individual Growth
Allowing means providing your partner with the freedom to be themselves and to grow individually. This balance between closeness and independence is vital for a mature and fulfilling relationship.
When implemented right, these five aspects of mindful loving help you build more effective relationships.
In subsequent sections, we'll discuss some practical steps to more mindful loving. Before that, let's look at some "childish behaviors" that could be hurting your relationship.
Childish Behaviors that Hurt Relationships
There are days when our actions don't quite align with the mature, loving partner we aspire to be. While dismissing these moments of "childish" behavior is easy, they can stifle the intimacy in your relationship in the long run. They often arise from unresolved emotional issues, insecure attachment styles, unmet needs, or a lack of self-awareness.
Recognizing these behaviors is the first crucial step toward building healthier relationship patterns.
It's important to approach this issue with self-compassion. These behaviors don't make you a bad person; they're often learned responses or coping mechanisms. By identifying them, you're already on the path to becoming a more mindful, loving partner. Here are some of them:
- Silent treatment, stonewalling, or worse yet, gaslighting
- Keeping score of mistakes or, conversely, only your good deeds
- Expecting mind-reading instead of saying what you want/need
- Avoiding difficult conversations and hoping issues resolve themselves
- Reacting impulsively without considering your partner's feelings
- Making decisions unilaterally without consulting your partner
- Prioritizing being right over being understanding
- Neglecting your partner's emotional needs
- Refusing to apologize or take responsibility for your actions
- Using manipulation or guilt-tripping to get your way
Mindful Loving: How to Act Like an Adult in Your Relationships
Now, let's look at 5 practical ways to implement the principles of mindful loving to build more maturity in your relationship and act like an adult. You should master the art of active listening, cultivate emotional intelligence, embrace vulnerability, embrace individuality while nurturing partnership, and navigate conflict with maturity.
Whether you're in the early stages of dating or have been together for decades, these 5 practical advice can help you navigate your relationship in more adult and loving ways.
1. Master the Art of Active Listening
Active listening, often called the Golden Rule of Communication, is about giving your full attention to your partner and absorbing what they're saying without immediately jumping to solutions or defenses. We've all been there—your partner starts talking about their day, and you're already formulating your response or absent-mindedly thinking about what to make for dinner.
But true connection happens when we listen to understand, not to react or respond.
Sometimes, your partner just needs a listening ear, not a problem-solver.
- For Example: Your partner says: "I had such a frustrating day at work. My boss kept changing the project requirements, and I feel like I can't keep up."
- Instead of saying: "Well, maybe you should speak up more in meetings. I always tell my boss when I disagree with something."
- Try: "That sounds challenging. It seems like you're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with the constant changes. Can you tell me more about what happened?"
Here, you've acknowledged their feelings and invited them to share more, showing that you genuinely listen and care about their experience. This way, you create a safe space for open, honest communication—a cornerstone of mature, healthy relationships.
2. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a superpower in relationships. It involves understanding and managing one's own emotions as well as recognizing and responding to your partner's feelings.
Developing emotional intelligence means becoming more self-aware, learning to regulate your emotions, and empathizing with your partner.
For instance, if your partner comes home looking upset:
- Instead of saying: "What's wrong? I also had a long day, but you don’t see me sulking!" or trying to fix the problem immediately.
- Try saying: "You seem upset. Would you like to talk about it or prefer some space right now?"
That way, you're letting them know you care but are also prepared to allow them to process their feelings without more disturbance.
Or, when your partner doesn’t text you back immediately:
- Instead of overthinking and sending a flurry of follow-up messages like: “Why aren’t you answering?” or “Are you ignoring me?”
- Do this instead: Give your partner some space and trust that they’ll respond when they can. Instead of jumping to conclusions, wait for a reasonable amount of time, and if you’re still concerned, send a calm message like, “Hey, just checking in. Hope everything’s okay. Let’s talk when you’re free.”
This approach encourages patience, trust, and emotional maturity—key aspects of being an adult in relationships.
3. Embrace Vulnerability and Practice Intimacy
It's tempting to always present our best selves, but true connection comes from sharing our whole selves—imperfections and all. Embracing vulnerability means opening up about your fears, insecurities, and dreams. It's about being authentic and creating a safe space for your partner to do the same.
For example, instead of saying, "I'm fine" when you're clearly not, try saying: "I'm feeling a bit insecure today. Could we spend some time together this evening? Your presence always helps me feel more grounded."
4. Maintain Individuality While Nurturing Partnership
A mature relationship balances independence and togetherness. It's about growing as individuals while also growing as a couple. Here's what you can do:
Individuality Activity Idea:
- Plan a "separate together" day where you each do your own thing.
- Spend the day pursuing individual activities, trying new hobbies, or catching up with personal friends.
- Come together in the evening to share your experiences and reconnect.
By maintaining your individuality and establishing healthy boundaries, you bring fresh energy and experiences into your relationship, keeping it vibrant and exciting.
5. Navigate Conflict with Maturity
We've all had those arguments that started about dirty dishes and somehow ended up dredging up issues from years ago. Mature conflict resolution is about addressing issues promptly and calmly, focusing on the problem rather than attacking each other.
Tips to Navigate Conflicts:
- Use "I" statements and avoid absolutes like "always" or "never." For example, "I feel hurt when plans are canceled last minute" instead of "You always let me down."
- Practice forgiveness. Next time your partner makes a minor mistake, consciously choose to let it go. For more significant issues, try saying, "I'm still hurt, but I want to work through this together. Can we talk about how to move forward?"
Cultivate Emotional Well-Being to Foster Fulfilling Relationships
The strategies we've discussed aren't just about enhancing your relationship; they're also about fostering personal growth. Being an adult in relationships involves more than maturity—it's about practicing empathy, active listening, and setting healthy boundaries.
As you develop these skills, you’ll find yourself becoming a more emotionally aware and self-assured individual, which naturally benefits your relationship. Author David Richo's How to Be an Adult in Relationships offers heartening insights that remind us that relationships flourish when both partners are committed to evolving together.
As this article explores, being an adult in a romantic partnership means continually adapting, learning, and supporting each other through life's ups and downs. Consider these tips as new and revised material for anyone seeking a deeper, more authentic connection. Facing challenges with maturity can transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.
So, which strategy will you focus on first? Whether you start with active listening or embracing greater vulnerability, each step brings you closer to the fulfilling relationship you desire.
