1. What is a back-burner relationship?
• Simply put, humans have always had back-up relationships
• These back up relationships may be friends to whom they’re attracted, ex’s that still linger, unrequited crushes that have been buried for years.
• But these days, we now have the capacity to easily keep in touch with these people
• Back-up is likely to be an old friend who has always had feelings for them
• Other candidates include ex-boyfriend/husband, colleague or gym buddy
2. Who is more likely to have one men or women?
• Married women are more likely have a Plan B in the background
• The survey of 1,000 women also found Plan B is also likely to be someone whom she has known for around seven years, who will be 'ready and waiting' because of 'unfinished business'.
3. Why is it easy to keep a back-burner relationship these days?
• Another study, looked at behaviors of both men and women online. The average age was 21.
• This group of young people used text messages, Facebook, and sometimes cell phones to maintain contact with their back burners.
• As a group they reported having an average of five-and-a-half back burners, more of whom they communicated with in a platonic rather than romantic way.
4. How is it detrimental to relationships to keep a back-burner option?
• When we are keep someone as a “back-up plan” we are creating a mindset that our current relationship is going to fail.
• The key is to examine why you think you need a back-up plan? Is it that in your gut you know the current person you are with is not an ideal mate?
• More likely the situation is that people are not taught coping skills how to manage effective communication in a relationship or how to navigate through challenges that all relationships will fail.
• Mindset matters in a relationship, if you expect a healthy committed relationship, you have to be honest with your own feelings and behaviors.
Romila "Dr. Romie" Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM is a traditionally trained neurologist specializing in mind-body medicine. As a national mindful living expert, she speaks in the media and around the country on the neuroscience behind mindfulness.
A personal health and wellness life coach, Dr. Romie heals clients from around the country at the Center for Natural and Integrative Medicine in Orlando, Florida. Particularly sensitive to the effects of career burnout, Dr. Romie focuses on healing individuals with her unique “Mindset Matters” program.
A personal health and wellness life coach, Dr. Romie heals clients from around the country at the Center for Natural and Integrative Medicine in Orlando, Florida. She also travels around the country teaching about the scientific and medical evidence behind mindful living.
You can join her mindful living community at www.BrainBodyBeauty.com #DrRomie #MindfulMD
