“When I think of red flags, I think about the nonstarters or ‘hard stops’ that might come up in relationships that essentially make a relationship between people unsustainable,” explains Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC, licensed therapist and co-founder of Viva Wellness.
Others may describe it as a trait or behavior they notice in someone else that encourages them to walk away from the connection. Remember: These aren’t always easy to spot early on, and hindsight is 20/20, so give yourself some slack if you’ve missed (or ignored) some red flags in past relationships.
On a similar but less intense note, “Yellow flags are those signs that we need to proceed with caution and collect more data before reaching a conclusion about the fate of the connection,” Caraballo says.
“In stark contrast, green flags are those signs that it would be great, and fruitful, to continue to invest in the relationship moving forward,” he adds. It’s important to note the positive traits as well, for the sake of a balanced outlook.
