My GF (24) wants to open our relationship up as part of her New Years Resolution.

Hey everyone,

Throwaway account because people lurk my main account.

Today I was hit with a serious conversation about how as part of New Years Resolutions my Girlfriend would like to have an open relationship. I’m not too sure how I feel about it.

For background sake, me (26M) and my partner (24F) have been together for two plus years now. We live together, have a dog together, and have an established life together. I come from a very religious background of monogamy in relationships and she comes from a background of no religion, her parents being very open about sexuality (she is bisexual herself) and having open relationships. I have since shunned religion but I still believe in the idea of monogamy, experimentation is fine but it’s always been both of us opening up the bedroom together or not at all.

On New Years Day, we sat down to have a conversation about having an open relationship going into 2020. It was a very long and emotional conversation as she knew it would be opening a can of worms. I struggle hard with self image and feelings of inadequacy and she does the same. I have explained to her even the times we had another person involved in our relationship I still feel like I’m not enough for her and it truly hurts my feelings.

I explained to her how by opening up the relationship I feel like it’s going to ruin what we have together. Feelings change fast and I would hate to loose her because one of us meets someone new. I also explained how it makes me feel like I will never be enough for her.

The conversation dragged on and ended quite emotionally with me telling her I would really have to think about it but I don’t know if this a road I can go down with her.

So my question is for anyone who has been in my predicament, how do you navigate the blurred lines of an open relationship and how do you not let your feelings get hurt?

TLDR: GF wants an open relationship and I don’t know what to do because it changes the dynamic of our established relationship.

EDIT: I feel I need to add this, we both know people in open relationships that are very happy make it work. We also know people who have opened up relationships as a last ditch effort. I love my partner very much and we have discussed marriage and the future a lot. I’m not completely shut off to the idea but it also is a concern.

Submitted January 01, 2020 at 06:28PM by throwthatshitsaway https://ift.tt/2FbLNee