Relationship experts say that “clearly defining your boundaries can set a happy and healthy relationship with your partners.” However, we may need to understand when these boundaries go too far off the line and create a rift in our relationship.
Every relationship has little white lies or harmless secrets that partners keep from each other. Not to be deceptive but to avoid conflict over something insignificant. However, how do you decide which lie is white and which might indicate your partner is a micro-cheater?
Micro-cheating is the term for the tiny, inconspicuous actions your partner commits while you are still dating them. These acts may seem unimportant or easy to brush off, but they cause painful heart holes. So, before things go wrong, it’s essential to understand the signs of micro-cheating, which may help you return your healthy relationship to equilibrium.
If you are unsure whether your partner is cheating on you, here are a few signs that may help you find the truth:
1. They get in touch with their ex-partner
Some people don’t think blocking their ex is a good idea, which is quite understandable, but flirting with an ex can take on another dimension. However, if you find your partner obsessively stalking their ex-partners on social sites or even indulging in conversations, you may be the victim of micro-cheating. After all, there is always a mystery where there is history!
2. They save contacts under the wrong name
Saving someone’s name under a false identity is another indication of micro-cheating. They do this to avoid letting you know that they are in a secret relationship with another person. Sometimes, they also carry out this activity to conceal your already familiar name.
3. They are proactive on their phones
Something is wrong if your partner is constantly occupied with their phone more than usual. It is a sign that your partner is secretly micro-cheating if they never leave their phone out of sight or hide their social notifications as much as possible. This is when trouble begins to knock at the door of your relationship. Therefore, speaking up earlier and dissolve the barriers between you and your companion is wise.
4. They develop an emotional bond with someone else
Although this is not a physical act of cheating, developing an emotional intimacy with someone else can be one of the most telling signs of a micro-cheater. This type of micro-cheating can be a physiological romance because your partner doesn’t mind sharing their deepest feelings with you but instead chooses to reveal their feelings to someone else.
Cultivating a certain closeness with someone outside the relationship can ruin the personal bond between you and your partner. Therefore, it is better not to let your partner form emotional ties with anyone else.
5. They stay active on dating apps
If your partner is micro-cheating, their dating apps or profiles might run very actively. This is even bigger than micro-cheating and can be a heartbreaking discovery for loyal partners like you. Of course, if your partner is satisfied and happy with you, they would never need to go out there and explore new people on dating apps.
But unfortunately, if you find them doing it, it can be a sign that they are still open to new relationships and that your connection with them is temporary in their minds.
6. They get defensive when you bring things to their notice
“Defensive” is a part of style often seen when people find it hard to hide something. For instance, when you ask your partner about a sure thing, they either get mad about it or flat-out deny the thing they were attempting to do. This can be another approach to determining whether your partner is micro-cheating on you.
Despite being in a committed relationship, keeping the back door open and exploring new ways to meet someone is a sure-shot sign of treading dangerously on the line of cheating! Such behavior has no place in any healthy relationship. That’s why it is essential to create emotional, physical, and sexual boundaries between you and your partner.
Because you never know when such a small series of acts can later turn into a threatening game. If micro-cheating does happen within your relationship, it’s essential to address it. After all, “micro-cheating” may be a small act, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a “macro-issue.” So, if you notice any of the above signs in your partner, talk to them!
