People are using ‘half-masting’ trend to take time out of relationships

There are so many dating trends these days – it’s frankly hard to keep up.

But if you’re worried your latest crush is keeping a little too much distance then there could be a reason why.

“Half-masting” is the latest dating trend doing the rounds, and there are some warning signs to look out for when playing the field.

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If you’re used to the dating game you’ll probably know of the common warning flags already.

While green symbolises good traits, pink flags show you have differing views and beige flags indicate someone may be a little bland.

Now half-masting is here, and it means someone intends to take a more “reflective” approach when it comes to looking for the one.

Hayley Quinn, dating expert for Match, told The Metro: “Half-masting is deliberately taking time to assess whether a relationship is right for you, by taking a step back.

“It’s about taking your time to figure out how you’re feeling about your relationship, and if you are feeling uncertainty, giving yourself time to work out what’s causing that.

“All relationships ebb and flow, and before you end things taking time out to reflect is a smart thing to do.”

So, basically, the term refers to someone who’s neither committed but also hasn’t decided whether to end a relationship.

They’re somewhere in between, as opposed to being all in (full-mast).

But if you want to try and work things out with someone, Hayley has some solid advice.

She added: “You could see someone slightly less often or reassert your independence by switching your focus to another area of your life.

“During this time out you may have time to process where your niggling doubts have come from – was that really a red flag you just noticed?

“Or, you may realise that having more personal space was just what you needed.”

It’s vital to ensure you don’t end up giving someone mixed messages, and allowing your partner to stand at half-mast a lot – or for too long a period – is likely to end in disaster.

Hayley said the important thing to know is half-masting needs to be a “temporary” state for any couple.

If you try and do it too often it will only lead to destabilising a relationship, according to the expert.

She also said it’s important to look out for red flags – if anyone shows any toxic traits you need to get out, and fast.

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