Remember that feeling when you first fell in love? The butterflies, the endless conversations, and the way everything felt magical?
Sometimes relationships shift from that connected state to simply sharing space. If you’re wondering whether you’re just going through the motions, here are some signs that the love between you has dissipated and you either need to do something to bring it back or consider calling it a day.
1. Your talks never go beyond the basics.
Think about your last few conversations. Were they mostly about who’s picking up dinner or what bills need paying? If you can’t remember the last time you talked about your dreams, fears, or even just had a good laugh together, you might be stuck in surface-level communication. Real connection happens in those unplanned heart-to-heart moments.
2. Physical touch has lost its meaning.
Gone are the days when holding hands made your heart skip a beat. Now, physical affection feels more like checking a box — quick goodbye kiss or a side hug that lacks warmth. When touching your partner starts feeling as emotional as a handshake, it’s a sign that something’s missing.
3. Dinner time feels like a library.
Remember when you couldn’t wait to share your day over dinner? Now the only sounds at your table are forks hitting plates and the occasional “pass the salt.” Maybe you’ve both got into the habit of scrolling through your phones instead of sharing stories about your day.
4. You’re living separate lives under one roof.
You used to run everything by each other — from weekend plans to big life decisions. These days, you find yourself making choices without even thinking to include your partner. It’s not that you’re trying to exclude them; they just don’t cross your mind like they used to.
5. Movie night isn’t what it used to be.
Sure, you spend time together watching TV, but when was the last time you actually discussed what you watched? You might be sitting on the same couch, but you’re both in different worlds, mindlessly scrolling through your phones or watching separate shows with your headphones on.
6. Your good news has a new audience.
Did you get a promotion? Managed to snag that impossible reservation? Your partner used to be the first person you’d call with exciting news. Now you find yourself texting your best friend or calling your mum before it even occurs to you to share it with your significant other.
7. Date night feels like another chore.
Date nights used to give you something to look forward to all week. Now they feel more like another task on your to-do list, right up there with doing laundry and grocery shopping. You go through the motions because you know you should, not because you want to.
8. Peace at any price is your motto.
When something bothers you, you bite your tongue because it feels easier than having a conversation about it. You’ve got so good at avoiding rocky waters that you’re basically living on separate islands, neither of you willing to rock the boat.
9. You’re growing in different gardens.
Started a new hobby? Joined a gym? Changed your eating habits? If you’re both evolving but never sharing the journey, you might be missing out on growing together. Personal growth is great, but relationships thrive when partners share these experiences.
10. Bedtime has lost its magic.
Those sweet moments before sleep — sharing thoughts about your day, cuddling, or just being close — have disappeared. Maybe you go to bed at different times now, or you’re both too absorbed in your phones to notice when the other person slips under the covers.
11. Together doesn’t feel together anymore.
It’s a strange feeling — being physically present but emotionally somewhere else. You can be sitting right next to your partner and still feel like you’re missing them. The room might be full of their things, but their presence doesn’t fill the space like it used to.
12. Thank you’s have gone missing.
The little things your partner does — making coffee in the morning, picking up your favourite snack, or handling the laundry — used to make you smile. Now these gestures pass by unnoticed, like background music you’ve stopped hearing.
13. Tomorrow feels like a solo journey.
Planning for the future used to be exciting — you’d talk about dream holidays, imagine your ideal home, or joke about growing old together. Now when you think about the future, it’s more about practical matters, and somehow your shared dreams have got lost in the shuffle.
14. The extras have become optional.
Remember when you’d pick up their favourite treat just because? Or dress up for dinner at home? Those little gestures that showed “I’m thinking of you” have slowly disappeared. It’s not that you don’t care — you’ve just fallen out of the habit of showing it.
