Intimacy involves commitment.

Commitment in an intimate relationship has less to do with exclusivity and more to do with a mutual agreement that neither of you is going to flee or abandon the other when conflicts or differences arise.

Even seemingly innocuous statements – or thoughts – can suggest that you already have one foot out the door, aren’t fully invested in the relationship, or are not willing to work through conflict.

Uncommitted:

• What do you want me to do about it?
• Why are we together if you feel this way?
• I don’t need this.
• I give up.

Committed:

• We can work through this.
• It’s okay that we don’t agree.
• Let’s keep working on it.
• We’re in this together.