Im in a happy relationship, and i love my significant other.

You don't seem happy or in love then.

Also if she is so great then why the fuck are you taking her for granted pos

>>17521414
If you think you can recreate or create something better than the relationship you are already in then you're not in love.

The correct answer is to move on. Not from her, but from your attachments to other people. If she's as amazing as you say - the right person for you and someone you want to spend your days with - and you are truly happy and satisfied, not something you're telling us/yourself, you need to learn to settle down. Guess what. I've known and dated the guy I'm with for eight years. I still lust after other guys. I still get crushes on other guys. Sometimes those crushes are long term and span years. I never act on it, I never make a big deal out of it. They're a normal part of human nature and I'm okay with not pursuing it either romantically or sexually.

You have no business asking your girlfriend to open the relationship. An open relationship is only genuine and legitimate if you go into it with both parties knowing from the start that that is what it will be. Holding your relationship hostage in exchange for opening it against her wishes is far crueler and will damage her far more deeply than any breakup will. Either learn to live with not pursuing people and be comfortable with your desires - and just don't care that they're there - or break up, because she's not the right girl and you're not at the right point in which you could have a right girl.

>>17521435
Im happy. And i wouldnt say im in love cuz the infatuation is over (like its supposed to happen) but i very much love and care about her

>>17521446
Im not trying to recreate something. I see it like having a child, and deciding on having another. Having another child doesnt mean i dont love the first one any less.

>>17521456
This is the person i wanna settle down with. But, im too young, and ive only dated 3 other girls before.

Quit your whining. Be with her and only her or stop being with her alltogether

>>17522046
If you really loved her, you wouldn't want to stick your dick in other women. If its not about getting your dick wet, and purely emotional, then thats just having other friends and its not an issue.

If you want to stick your dick in other women but use her for emotional support then break up with her and spare her from the shit you're going to put her through because you value a good orgasm more than a fulfilling relationship. In any case, grow up.

>>17522212
Um, its not about sticking my dick in other women. Its about literally being with more than one, loving more than one, i dont understand how thats not possible. Why does it have to be so black and white?

>>17522237
You're welcome to tell yourself that that bullshit is true if you want, but it isn't. Relationships are made with the expectation of sexual monogamy, its that simple. If you only want emotional support, then be friends with them. If you only want to fuck them, then thats called casual sex. Dating means monogamy.

Think with your dick all you want, but if you fuck around while dating someone who loves you then you're a piece of shit.

>>17522046
>i want to settle down
>i don't actually want to settle down
Yet another mental gymnastics thread

You're human, you're always going to find other people interesting.

Being close friends with other people is normal and healthy.

The problem is neglecting your SO in favor of others, so don't do that, and make sure your priorities are clear.

If you don't want to risk losing your current SO, then avoid being alone with other women. If you can't make friendships without “dating" then you have bigger problems.

If you want to settle down with this woman, your friends are going to be her friends too, so start getting to know people together. If you're religious, church groups are great for this, otherwise hobby/activities groups, that kind of thing.

Close friendships that you can share with SO are good. Emotional infidelity that makes you feel like you have to isolate/hide it from your SO, not so much.

>>17522046
I'm twenty-four. I've dated my boyfriend for eight years. Aside from myself the only other person he's ever "dated" was a girl in his tweens where the extent of their relationship was drawing pictures for each other and saying I love you. No one's asking you to put a ring on your girlfriend right now. But either you commit to dating her and seeing where it goes - and the eventuality that some day you might want to marry her - or you leave her and go experiment. You don't get both of those things and the desire to experiment might never go away even if you do it now.

You might find, ten years down the line with children, wanting to try something new with someone else or try someone new just for the sake of it. That oh-so-cute coworker is so much more novel than your wife. Guess what, the interest in other people never goes away. You either learn to manage it and realize your wife is your number one priority and stop caring about your interest in other people or you don't and you leave her for the hot twenty year old you work with, or you cheat on her with her. It might get easier for you with age and experience, it might not. But the feelings themselves are not going to go away.

>>17522256
Dating doesnt necesarily mean monogamy, just because it's the standard doesnt mean its the only option.

>>17522270
I DONT want to settle down. But i have the perfect person to settle down With.

Is taking a break for me to explore not an option? What about a polygamous relationship where we can both see other people but we're still the main couple?
My gf is VERY attached to me, like, crazy in love, but she's also openminded.

>>17522899
No. It's deceitful, cruel. Monogamy is the default assumption when you enter into a relationship. You two likely had the commitment talk, and even if you didn't it was implied. Do not attempt to change from monogamy to polyamory/open relationships. There's some great reading material out there about ethical non-monogamy and why it doesn't work like that. You enter into it with the knowledge you want polyamory, and so too does your partner. You both agree to that. You don't coerce them into something that will hurt them deeply by telling them it's the only way they can be with you now that they love you and have gotten attached to you and been dating you monogamously for a year.

You're not after what's best for your relationship, or what's best for your girlfriend, or what's best for you. You're not after the most humane choice, the kindest option. You're after what gives you everything you want selfishly in the short term, fallout and burnt bridges be damned, breaking the heart of your girlfriend be damned. The reality is you can pick either or. Girlfriend or other people. Pick, and choose wisely, but do not EVER attempt to strongarm someone into being in an open relationship they don't want. If that's what you feel is the best choice then it's time to leave.

>>17523018
Oh no no, i dont mean to strongarm it. I mean, should i have a talk with my SO about it?? If she disagrees, i can live with that. But maybe she'll think its okay?
I'd never force her to be in something she doesnt wanna be in.
But im afraid of whether or not talking about it would make her feel horrible.

>>17523030
No. You want to pursue others, then you break up. No break, no open relationship, none of that. Tell her you're not interested in settling down right now and you're sorry.