Micro-cheating: the newest trending term to hit the pop culture dating.
After doing some brief research on the definition I was taken back and came to the conclusion that I am a lot happier being single in 2018 than I thought I was.
Essentially, micro cheating is the act of thinking highly of someone in any sexual manner, it is not the physical act of cheating but the innuendo behind it.
Micro-cheating is not to be confused with emotional cheating, which is often referred to as an affair of the heart, wherein you develop an emotional connection to someone, but no physical act of intimacy occurs. The definitions that I have found have been on a completely different end of the spectrum, following from being a normal genuine human to being physically unfaithful.
Examples from sites like Pop Sugar describe micro cheating as lying about your relationship status, contacting someone without your partner’s knowledge while attempting to mask the evidence, or sharing secrets with someone you’re attracted to outside of your relationship.
We all have personal thoughts based on some persons physical appearance and this is okay, it is mostly in our human nature to think this way.
These can be confusing at times as they may be seen as a daily activity for one. For those in a relationship they can easily be seen as the start of an unfaithful and distrusting courtship.
Urban Dictionary defined micro-cheating in 2008 as “when someone cheats on a partner, but just a little bit”. I can confidently say that I disagree with this definition and that physically cheating is always in fact cheating.
The only thing separating cheating and micro cheating is this void of the physical action. Another example I found on Urban Dictionary of holding a door open for someone came as the biggest shock to me.
If we are in a relationship, are we then obligated to terminate our compassionate morals? If a relationship will strip me of my ability to be open and friendly with others you can bet that I am currently online looking through cat adoption posts!
The larger issue found within micro-cheating is its potential to escalate to the physical actions of cheating.
We all have personal thoughts based on some persons physical appearance and this is okay, it is mostly in our human nature to think this way.
What isn’t okay is not being able to face the facts that your current relationship might not be the best for you.
The longer these thoughts continue, the harder it is going to be cut the ties.
At the end of the day it is your relationship. Relationships work when both participants communicate effectively and equally. You are the only one that knows what is best for you.
