8 signs you're not ready to get married

Whether or not you're in a relationship, most of us tend to ask ourselves what the future will bring. Marriage is a big deal, so it requires a lot of meticulous thought — after all, a wedding day is supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience.

So, if you plan on it being your first and only rodeo, you want to make sure you’re ready for the ride. Although a little hesitation prior to such a big commitment is completely normal, it is in your best interest to watch for potential warning signs that you may not be prepared to tie the knot.

You’re not willing to compromise.

Any happy, successful relationship — romantic or not — requires compromise. Yes, it’s ok to be a little selfish — meaning you should make yourself and your physical, mental, and social health a priority, but if you find it difficult to care about the health and happiness of your partner even a little bit, you have a problem.

"Typically, commitment phobics are inflexible and loathe compromises," Darlene Lancer, JD, MFT specializing in codependency and marriage counseling wrote on her professional blog."Relationships revolve around them."

I’ve been with my fiance for six years, and we both agree that compromise has been the anchor that has kept our relationship grounded. It’s something we made a promise to embrace from the beginning, and I remind myself of it every day. It keeps us humble and understanding of each other, so it’s really important.  

Remember, compromise doesn’t have to be the ultimate sacrifice, it just shows that you care about the wishes and desires of your partner as much as you care about your own.

You have trust issues.

Some people's trust issues stem from past experiences or insecurities, and that's ok. But you have to be transparent about them with your partner to keep them from ruining your relationship. No one likes feeling like they're not trusted, especially when they haven't done anything to warrant it.

Often, an unwarranted breach of trust "deals with pre-existing issues," like family or childhood trauma, Lynda Cameron Price, Ed.S, LPC, AADC, licensed professional counselor and certified addiction professional told INSIDER. "Trust is significant because it's one of the core issues we deal with," she said.

If your trust issues are rooted in an unresolved issue between you and your partner, that's where the situation gets extra sticky. They will only bring resentment and bitterness in the future, so it's best to confront them and work through them before walking down the aisle.

You're not done "exploring."

Obviously, this piece only applies to those who are interested in monogamous relationships. You love your significant other, but you can't shake the feeling that you're missing out on new and different sexual experiences with other people. There's no shame in having those feelings, but if you're experiencing them, you may not be ready to say, "I do."

If you think your partner may share these feelings, it may be worth having a conversation about to see if an open relationship is right for you.

"If you are truly interested in an open marriage, you should have been practicing polyamory or swinging long before you headed up the aisle," Tammy Nelson, Board Certified Sexologist, Certified Sex Therapist, and the author of The New Monogamy told Huffington Post.

Communication is key. It's your relationship, and you can do whatever you want with it, as long as you're both happy. That's the beauty of love.