Ten Things You Can Do To Screw Up A Romantic Relationship
1. Take your partner for granted. Get used to them. Remind yourself that they love you and will forgive you so you don't have to put them first. Early on in your relationship, you may have treated your partner like a king or a queen, basked on their every word, sent them cards, bought them flowers, left notes on their car and on their answering machine letting them know that you were really interested in them. You probably arrived on time for dates and didn't forget when you had plans. If they did something nice for you, you probably noticed and said, "Thank you." You knew that you were under scrutiny, that they hadn't decided if you were a keeper yet, so you were on your best behavior. But hey, now that you trust that they love you, relax a little. It's exhausting to put out all that effort to treat them respectfully. Now it's time to focus on your other interests. And if they get cranky, you can always say, "I'm sorry." Even better, you can accuse them of being unreasonable, jealous and controlling. If you want to take it to that next step, convince yourself that your partner is the cause of your unhappiness and make them pay for this.
2. Take out your anger on your partner. If you have a bad day at work or get stuck in traffic on the way home, yell at your partner. They'll probably let you get away with it, and after you yell, you'll probably feel better.
3. Criticize your partner frequently and venomously. If it bothers you that your partner is five pounds overweight, point it out, sarcastically. Perhaps you could say something like, "Those pants would look really good on you if you lost about five pounds." If you are annoyed that your partner does not cook as well as you, find a way to rub it in. You might, for example, comment, "Hmmm, this is an interesting way to sauté mushrooms. I never thought of trying for a rubbery texture." Whatever you do, don't look in the mirror and ask yourself why your partner's weight or cooking techniques are a problem for you.
4. Take everything your partner says personally. If your partner is in a bad mood, or they are critical of you, magnify the significance of the action or comment. It's best if you say nothing and mope. Sooner or later your partner will apologize. And if they don't, personalize that as well. Remind yourself that everything your partner says or does, or doesn't say or doesn't do, is about you.
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