Lovers begin to notice imperfections in each other that were previously unobserved or ignored, and boredom or impatience begins to set in. Each lover is likely to try to force or trick the other into becoming what they were thought to be or what he or she would like them to become. The transition stage of love is basically a time for testing reality. In a sense, love pulls its head down from the clouds, and the conflicts and doubts that arise may lead to a stage of falling out of love or measures may be taken to push the relationship into a temporary state of truce. If this occurs, the new version of the relationship may actually be stronger, strengthened by the ability to successfully survive its conflicts.
Mutual trust is no longer just a matter of faith but a by-product of experience.
Falling out of Love Just as people falling in love delight in learning everything about their partners and revealing much about themselves, people falling out of love are less open, intimate, and interested in their partners. Concern for the partner's happiness becomes a second priority rather than a guiding light and eventually becomes an incidental thought. Here, the falling out of love stage occurs at different times for the two lovers. The heartbreak and sorrow of the deserted lover are sometimes very similar to the reactions of someone who has experienced the death of a spouse or close friend. At other times, the jilted lover becomes angry, vengeful, or determined to avoid future love at any cost.