They say that you will always see a divorce coming. That a relationship break down can be smelt from kilometers away.

While this may be true for some, there are those to whom divorce comes as a big surprise. Those who wake up one morning and wonder how their marriage ended.

Here’s a look into some tale tell signs to look out for to avoid finding yourself in this situation;

1. You stop fighting – At a glance, this might seem like a good thing. It might be misinterpreted to mean that you are finally getting along. It could however mean that either you or your spouse no longer cares enough about the relationship to fight for it. Couples in progressive relationships fight.

2. You no longer wonder what they are thinking – Should you find yourself in that place in your relationship where you no longer care what your significant other is thinking, pay attention. It could mean you are no longer invested in the relationship.

3. Contempt – There is absolutely no space for contempt in a marriage. This is characterized by eye rolling, sneering and dismissing your partner when they are trying to talk to you. It is not possible to keep loving someone who you have contempt for.

4. You are the last to know – If in the beginning of your relationship your partner shared with you their personal problems and professional achievements then all of a sudden you are hearing such information from third parties, it could be that they are planning a life without you. This breakdown in communication should be a red flag.

5. You are fantasizing about it – It is normal during hard moments for a married person to wonder how much easier their lives would be were they single. If however you find yourself constantly fantasizing about the single life even when things are seemingly happy in your relationship, you could be headed for a divorce.

6. Sex is a thing of the past – Sexual intimacy is a very important part of a marriage. If you suddenly notice a big disparity between you and your partner’s sex drive or the two of you are no longer interested in sex, pay attention. This could be a sign of a divorce round the corner.

7. Preparing for divorce – Sometimes, the physical preparation for divorce is subconscious. You may find yourself changing your wardrobe or enrolling at a gym to get fitter. A stay at home parent might suddenly get interested in going back to work or to school.

8. Power imbalance – If there was previously a feeling of equality in a relationship and then one person gets the upper hand, a relationship can break. If both of you had almost similar earning abilities then one of you gets a promotion at work and the other loses their job, this relationship is at risk.