Love Economics and Personal Life talked about the impacts of the trade-off between time spent on love and personal stuff.
The article discussed the application of economic theories to analyze relationship-related topics. Yes, it’s a bit technical, however, relevant in balancing relationships and personal matters in order to gain as much happiness that everyone desire.
Love Economics and Personal Life concluded that: “In spending time between relationship matters and personal stuff, balance yields optimality”
Again mixing the economic and love potions, one can further dissect the trade-off as previously explained in the article: Economics, Love and Personal Life.
This time, however, is the stage in love economics that are featured in the spotlight.
In the stages in Love Economics, the Romantic relationship starts when attraction developed between two people. In this initial stage, infatuation kicks in, or sometimes, lust.
In the diagram above, it falls under the divergence stage (YELLOW AREA). Divergence in the sense that two people are moving in different directions (understanding) from a common point (attraction/lust).
There is so much uncertainty at this stage, where possibilities can be generalized into two scenarios – the optimistic and pessimistic.
As indicated in the 2-path relationship flowchart, divergence can branch-off either to the strong stage (LIGHT GREEN) or the weak stage (LIGHT RED).
In the optimistic scenario, the divergence stage shifts to the strong stage. Two individuals in a romantic relationship rewrite the way they spend their time between relationships and personal stuff.
Further, individuals in a relationship could spend more time on personal life over relationships or vice-versa. Either way, happiness derived from these trade-offs is heightened.
In this stage, mutual understanding is developed that commitment and attachment is created between them. More so, a higher level of happiness is felt between two individuals.
However, the strong stage doesn’t mean that the trade-off between love and personal life is at its optimal state. Happiness could still be maximized. This leads to the enduring stage (GREEN).
If the relationship flourished to its greatest potential, happiness is drastically improved up to its peak. The optimal state leads to greater understanding, complete trust and timeless love.
When this happens, most likely that two individuals may decide to tie the knot and spend the rest of their life together.
The pessimistic possibility, on the other hand, happens when the divergence is so strong that it is disjunct right from the start and it is too much to overcome. Some individuals caution to whatever romantic link they could have and decide that they are only good as friends.
This is commonly called the “Friend-Zone”.
Others are clouded by the infatuation and lust that led them to the weak stages of a relationship. This stage usually develops right after the happy and blissful period of courting.
In this stage, the true colors of each other show up and the doubt between each other and the relationship they have crept in. Possible scenarios in this stage; arguments are more often, open communication is lost, or just plainly, happiness isn’t the same as before.
If the weak stage progressed, it may lead to further degradation of the relationship, which is embodied in the broken stage (RED). In this stage, trust is shattered and love is lost. When this happens, the relationship is bound to end.
Still, not all enduring relationships have a happy ending. As cliché as it sounds, the only permanent thing in this world is change. Thus, this kind of relationship can still go downhill up to a point that it goes to the divergence stage.
When it does, the divergence stage still offers two possibilities – one to climb up to the strong stage, the other goes down the weak stage.
The question is: can the intensity of love, previous trust and promised commitment from the two individuals bring back what is lost?
Consequently, broken relationships are not always gloomy as it sounds.
There are individuals who find themselves again crossing each other’s paths and giving their relationship one more try.
Really, it is a daunting task, but as they say, love is sweeter the second time around.