Online relationships are much like real life relationships in the sense that two people from the real world meet, develop a rapport, and become exclusive.

These two people are of flesh and blood.

This means that they come into the online relationship with their own distinct personalities and viewpoints.

Being online doesn’t change the fact that these are real people from the real world.

The danger that people face is in believing that an online relationship is different.

Since they primarily communicate with this person through an online medium, they falsely believe that this changes the paradigm.

It doesn’t.

An online relationship doesn’t guarantee you perfection.

You are talking to a human being at the other end of that computer or smartphone.

That human being comes with flaws and a set of distinct characteristics that agree or don’t agree with your own.

When you let yourself be romanticized by what you believe an online relationship should be like, you ruin your chances of finding a partner.

Listen, you should approach this online relationship in the same way you have approached relationships that you have had offline.

Build rapport and get to know one another.

During this time, you are going to learn details about this person that aren’t strictly complimentary or pleasant.

A person who is being candid with you, makes you aware of their flaws too.

This level of candidness is pivotal when you are communicating with someone online.

Exhibit this candidness when you chat with this person online.

The level of candidness from either party is a must, bearing in mind that a number of people online pretend to be someone they aren’t.

Since they are behind a keyboard instead of facing you in person, they are tempted to exaggerate about certain qualities that they have or don’t.

They are tempted to present a personality that isn’t who they are, believing that doing this impresses you.

You are tempted to do the same.

This is how an online relationship gets deceitful.

The frightful thing is that once either one of you goes on this path, it is hard to stop.

One exaggeration or lie opens a path to multiple lies.

Before you know it, you don’t know what is true or false anymore.

You are mutually believing in a lie.

This makes it impossible to date this person in real life, as you would be dealing with someone completely different from who they presented themselves to be online.

Be true to yourself as you get to know this person online.

Don’t get carried away by what you are reading, getting lost in the prospect of finding a perfect relationship online.

Be fully aware that everything is happening online, which opens you up to the prospect of being scammed or catfished.

Put a strong emphasis on your intention to meet this person in life as soon as you can, so that you get to verify their validity, and take this relationship from the online world into the real world.