6 Ways to Ruin a Marriage: #2 Fantasizing

Unrealistic expectations can quietly sabotage even the strongest relationships. When you begin comparing your spouse to an idealized version of how they should be, or how someone else seems to be, disappointment and disconnection often follow.

Fantasizing in marriage doesn’t always mean dreaming of someone else. More often, it’s about building up impossible standards, assuming your partner will meet needs without communication, or silently wishing they’d change into a different version of themselves.

Over time, this mindset creates distance and resentment, even if you’re still physically present.

What Fantasizing Looks Like

You might be fantasizing if:

• You frequently think, “They should know what I need without me asking.”

• You assume they’ll change once they “mature” or “finally get it.”

• You compare them to couples you see online or in movies.

• You mentally drift into “what if” scenarios that idealize someone else.

• You begin to emotionally check out, even if you're still going through the motions.

  
  

These thoughts aren’t just harmless escapes. They shift your focus away from the real person you married and toward a version of them that doesn’t exist.

Why Unrealistic Expectations Hurt Relationships

When you expect your spouse to meet unspoken needs, fulfill every emotional desire, or behave like someone they’re not, you set both of you up for failure. Disappointment builds. Disconnection grows. And often, your partner doesn’t even know what’s happening.

Even subtle fantasies, like believing a “better” partner would understand you more, erode intimacy. Instead of engaging honestly, you may start to pull back, criticize more, or become emotionally unavailable.

How to Reconnect with Reality and Each Other

1. Name the Expectation: Ask yourself, “What am I hoping they’ll do, and have I clearly communicated that?” Most unmet needs go unspoken.

2. Ground Yourself in What’s Real: Notice and appreciate who your spouse actually is, not just who you wish they’d become.

3. Cut the Comparisons: Remember, social media shows highlights — not the whole story. No relationship thrives when it’s measured against a filtered version of someone else’s.

4. Be Honest About Disappointment: It’s okay to feel let down sometimes. Share your feelings respectfully instead of stewing in silence or slipping into fantasy.

5. Choose Presence Over Projection: Being present means engaging with your spouse as they are, not as who you imagine they could be. That’s where true connection grows.

   
   

Reflect: Am I Holding on to a Fantasy?

• Do I often compare my spouse to others, even silently?

• Have I been hoping they’ll “finally change” without a clear conversation?

• Am I emotionally invested in someone or something outside our relationship?

• Have I started to disengage instead of working through my disappointment?

  
  

Letting go of fantasy doesn’t mean settling. It means choosing honesty, presence, and real connection over illusions that isolate.

If unrealistic expectations are getting in the way of your relationship, Relational Skills can help you find clarity and connection again. Visit www.relationalskills.org or call (941) 241-2810 to learn more.