Sometimes, tough decisions must be made for the sake of personal happiness.
There's no definitive guide to progressing a relationship. Some couples may decide that marriage isn't for them, while others might be certain they want to tie the knot within a few years of dating. However, one woman is growing impatient with her boyfriend of six years, as he has yet to propose - despite expressing his desire to do so.
The 24-year-old woman explained that they already behave like a married couple and have discussed getting hitched in the past, but her partner hasn't taken the step to propose. She revealed that he first mentioned proposing two years ago when she graduated from university, and she's still waiting - leading her to give him an ultimatum.
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In a Reddit post, she wrote: "Now it's getting to the point where I am saying to him that I don't care how it's done, I would just want to be engaged to be married in a year or so. He constantly says how much he wants to marry me and create a future where we are our own little family, but every time I ask him what's stopping him he just says he doesn't know.
"I thought the whole nervousness around proposing is not knowing how your [partner] would react, but at this point, I am practically begging for a proposal. Because of this, I have given him an ultimatum of either he proposes by the end of the year, or I want to break up."
The woman took to Reddit to ask if she was out of order for threatening to ditch her bloke if he didn't pop the question within the next year - and commenters were split. Some reckoned she should chase her own joy and do what's right for her, while others argued she's still young and there's no rush to tie the knot.
One user commented: "Has an ultimatum ever worked in these situations? Apparently, there is something stopping him from proposing. I think a deeper conversation about why that is would be a better way to approach things."
Another chimed in: "You are allowed to break up with anyone at any time for any reason. However, if he's not ready to be married, he's not ready to be married. That is a lifelong commitment, it's more than just a wedding. Some people take it extremely seriously, as they should. My only advice is this: don't rush. 24 is still so very very young. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you."
And a third suggested: "Why don't you just propose to him? Either he's actually going to marry you or he's not, you proposing forces the issue and lets you know whether you need to move on. You're letting him avoid the issue by expecting that the proposal can only come from him."
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