Honeymoon Behavior

I call it 'honeymoon behavior' or the 'honeymoon period'. It's when one tries to be the 'perfect' person for the other, typically at the beginning of a new relationship. (The relationship can be of virtually any kind: friendship, work, love, parenting, & on & on . . . . . ) I call it the 'honeymoon' thing cuz most of us know it so well from love & / or sexual relationships; the most extreme form of honeymoon behavior in lust relationships is the abusive pattern of the hitherto 'perfect' boyfriend or girlfriend who becomes a monster after some level of commitment is reached.

Honeymoon behavior stems, I think, from people's fears, anxieties, insecurities, & etc., around being liked, loved, appreciated, wanted, & etc. by others. 'I won't fart around my new friend because that person might think I'm gross & disgusting if I do, & thus reject me.' That sorta thing.

Once I realized, defined, & started to carefully observe honeymoon behavior in myself & those around me, relationships shifted. I only know what a new relationship will be after the honeymoon period is ending & the true behaviors are emerging. Some people are far more honest & forthcoming about their inner ugliness than others, yielding different rates at which the 'true self' of the individual emerges; two people in relationship to each other can have very different timespans over which their respective honeymoon behaviors play out.