"Do you think he's it?" is probably a question you've been asked by friends -- or even yourself --when you have been with someone for a while. It's a valid question when you've invested a year or more into dating someone. You've probably given up nights out with friends or family, done things you didn't want to do, and made other sacrifices for this person. Why did you do all this? Because you care about him or her to the point that you see a possible future together. But just because you've been through a lot together; or have become so close with one another's friends and family; or have done so much for this person; or have just been together for so long is no reason to stay together if you don't want to.

It's easy to become dependent in a long term relationship, to the point where being without this person suddenly seems scary. You always have someone to talk to, a date to any event, someone to try out that new restaurant with. You guys have so many memories and jokes together, how could you live without them? It's weird, at first, to end all of that abruptly with a breakup; but it becomes more and more normal with time, and eventually fades into a hazy thought that almost seems like a dream when you look back.

Ask yourself every now and then how

happy you are. Do you ever think of being with someone else? Do you wonder what you're missing? Do you truly see yourself with this person forever? If you answer yes to the first two questions it may be time to rethink your decision to stay with this person, even if you've been together since freshman year of high school and he's in all of your prom pictures.

Your significant other probably won't be the same person he or she was in high school once in college. And you definitely won't be either. It'd be great if you grew together and could live happily ever after, but that might take a lot of sacrifices from both ends, and you don't want to end up giving up more than you ever wanted to just to stay together.

This person once may have made you so happy, and it may have lasted for a long time, but if this stops and it seems the butterflies and the magic and the good vibes just won't return, it's definitely the right decision to end your years-long relationship, even if you once thought he or she was "the One."

Ending a long term relationship is never easy for an infinite number of reasons, but in some cases, it becomes the best thing that happened. You're not soul mates just because you've been together for so long, and you shouldn't stay together just because you've been together for so long. People change quickly and easily, and that person you once loved can surely become that person you cannot stand.