Are Too-High Expectations Ruining Your Relationships?

The Surprising Science Behind Our Rising Relationship Demands

Nate Bagley
9 min readDec 23, 2021
Photo by Chermiti Mohamed from Pexels

Watch the video version of this article here…

We expect more from our relationships today than at any other time in history.

As Esther Perel puts it:

“Today, we turn to one person to provide what an entire village once did.”

You want your partner to be your best friend, your lover, your co-parent, your protector, your provider, your therapist, your travel buddy, your cheerleader, your maid, your chef, the person who pushes you to grow and be better, and the person who loves you for exactly who you are.

You expect them to share your opinions, your values, your dreams. To be in a good mood all the time. To manage conflict with grace and poise. To never break a promise or betray your trust. To surprise you with gifts, give you compliments, spend meaningful time with you, encourage you to pursue your hobbies, and give you back rubs when you’re having a bad day.

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Nate Bagley

I’m the creator of the Growth Marriage Podcast (http://growthmarriage.com). My mission in life is to rid the world of mediocre love.