By Jennifer Angel

Flirtatious behavior can be a healthy and fun way to express yourself to others but when does it cross the line for those of you in a committed relationship? Feelings of jealously, anger and possessiveness can begin to brew within your partner, and make way for endless arguments and accusations to take place in your relationship. Read on to discover new ways to handle your partners flirting, what is considered appropriate flirting and recognize when your sweetie has crossed the line with their behavior.

THE URGE TO FLIRT – Flirting is in your DNA. There are a number of ways to express your flirty side; gazing into someone’s eyes, tilting your head to the side with a coy smile, send flirtatious text messages or emails, communicate with your body language or share your personal life with someone you find attractive are all signs of flirtatious expressions. But when you are in a committed relationship, you need to curb some of your natural flirtatious tendencies.

BEHIND THE SCEENS – People may come off as flirtatious without even knowing it; you can’t control how other people respond to your personality, and perhaps your partner’s intent was to offer a friendly compliment but it can easily be taken as a mixed signal to the person on the receiving end. Flirting is often a way to express your self–confidence and when you are in a relationship it doesn’t mean this behavior must suddenly stop, but there are boundaries. If your partner acknowledges another person’s attractiveness while obeying your relationship boundaries, consider him/her a great catch. You can be sexually attracted to someone other than your romantic partner, and once you realize your partner can resist temptation to cheat, then your natural feelings of jealously or worry will begin to fade away.

RELATIONSHIP BOUNDARIES – If your sweetheart feels betrayed, hurt, confused or disappointed in regards to how you express yourself to others, it’s a sign that you either need to look more closely at your behavior or have a serious discussion about how he or she feels. A healthy relationship includes nurturing the bond you have together so you don’t do anything to jeopardize your relationship. Be careful that you don’t continue behavior that makes your partner upset, jealous or insecure.

5 Signs of Inappropriate Flirting

1.Communicating your personal fears or recent problems to someone other than your current partner.
2.Excluding your partner from social invites in order to spend time with your flirtatious fling after hours in a restaurant, bar or any other public place.
3.Lightly touching someone’s shoulders, arms or face is a nonverbal sign that you are open and interested.
4.Engaging in daily contact after office hours via text message, email or phone calls when business isn’t on the agenda.
5.You find yourself making promises or other romantic gestures to someone other than your partner.

5 Signs of Healthy Flirting

1.You speak the truth to your honey and opening flirt with them and nobody else.
2.Laughing at jokes or playfully teasing someone is considered healthy, as long as you’re not suggesting anything inappropriate.
3.You don’t make lunch, dinner or after work drink plans with someone who has interest in you other than friendship or professional.
4.You treat everyone the same, regardless of sex, age or your possible attraction to others.
5.Offer an honest compliment in order to boost someone’s self–esteem and don’t hide your communications to others. A person who has nothing to hide, hide’s nothing!

5 Tips on Handling a Flirtatious Partner

1.Look at your mate’s flirty nature in a positive manner. Remind yourself how lucky you are to have such a fun, social and friendly partner who is liked by many different people.
2.Educate yourself on social behavior so you can directly identify the difference between being flirty and being friendly. You don’t want to come off as insecure when your partner’s intentions were harmless.
3.Speak up and tell your partner what behavior is acceptable to you. You and your partner can sit down and create a set of personal relationship boundaries that you are both comfortable with.
4.If your partner is dealing with insecurity issues, respect their decision to put themselves out there to talk to as many people as possible. Have faith in your union and remind yourself how solid you are as a couple.
5.Do not assume that your partner is up to no good if you accidently read an email that may come off as inappropriate or if you happen to hear a part of your partner’s conversation with another person. It’s easy to assume the worst but it takes a confident person who trusts their significant other to realize things aren’t always what they may appear.

When you are involved with a flirtatious lover it can be tricky to handle and if you are not careful the constant worry and anxiety it causes can do damage to your self–esteem. Put your energy yourself and find out why your partner’s behavior affects you in a negative way. Ask yourself the necessary questions to help determine what is best for you in the long run. Does your past affect your present? Can you date someone who is openly friendly and invites attention into their lives? Only you have the power to decide on what you will and will not tolerate. Every relationship offers you a chance to learn something new about yourself, take advantage of these special times and enjoy your journey in love while you take as much care for yourself as possible. The right person won’t make you wonder or feel insecure; instead your feelings will be handled respectfully with love and care.

HAPPY LOVING!

Previous Articles: