What is "Cheating" in 2020?

Would you be more upset if you found out your SO was sleeping with someone else, and didn’t care at all for her, or if you found out he was secretly chatting with another girl all day and had feelings for her? What could he say or do for you, that would allow you to get past it?

With the advent of social media, EVERYONE seems available and easy to access. Although this makes keeping in touch super simple and online communication is everywhere, it also means that temptation is, in a way, everywhere. Especially with apps like Snapchat and Instagram that allow you to permanently delete messages for both parties; there could be no proof, so who does it hurt? The answer: EVERYONE.

My take on this is that if it feels wrong, it probably is. Your gut is an incredible tool for guiding your moral compass; if you aren’t sure if what you are doing is “shady” but you feel kind of funny about it, just don’t do it. I know no one is perfect, that if you go through someone’s phone, you’re always going to find something you didn’t want to see, but stop yourself before you add anything more to the list. Everyone has skeletons in the closet, but you can move on from them and strive to do better – remember: it is never too late to do better. If you’ve been “entertaining” flirtation for too long, or even done something you don’t feel good about, making the choice now to show up for your partner 100% going forward and follow through with that choice. Believe me, your relationship (and peace of mind) will thank you.

If you have a second, let me know in the comments – is emotional cheating worse for you? Do you see intimate online banter as harmless flirting, or is it a serious issue?