What Does It Mean To Hard Launch Your Relationship?

Being in a new relationship these days means that you'll have to face modern issues. For instance, you'll need to figure out when to start posting about your significant other on social media. While this may not seem like a big deal to some people, it might be an iffy aspect for others.

"Some of my clients have fought over social media because one partner applies the meaning that the other doesn't care about them because of the lack of posting — for example, cropping him or her out of their profile picture," author of "First Comes Us: The Busy Couple's Guide to Lasting Love" Anita A. Chlipala, LMFT, told Elite Daily. "You want to discuss your expectations before you start posting so that you're not taking things personally and getting unnecessarily hurt later on in your relationship."

After talking things out, you and your partner might decide to either hard launch or soft launch your relationship. A term that was originally used to describe moves in the business world, "launching" is now applied to relationships, too.

There's no doubt that dating can be challenging and yet oh-so rewarding. After enduring awkward first dates, sparks that fizzle out, and possibly even painful breakups, finding someone special to share your life with can be an incredible feeling. That's why you might be tempted to shout about it from the rooftops, as they say. Of course, in the age of the internet, a hard launch means sharing details about your relationship on social media, which can be a big and bold step to take.

Digital creator Joy Ofodu opted to do just that in her aptly titled web series "Hard Launch," and, in turn, explained why she decided to do so when it came to her relationship on her blog. "I created the web series because I wanted to shout the Black love I finally found after creating 250+ videos about dating and swiping through over 2,000 profiles," Ofodu wrote, adding, "I don't want anyone to interpret that I'm anything less than extremely proud of the man that he is, and I'm proud of being in a healthy romantic relationship with him."

Ofodu explained that for some people, a soft launch may be a better option, particularly "if you don't want prying eyes or are nervous about the reactions you'll get." That might leave you wondering if a hard launch is right for your relationship.

Deciding to hard launch a relationship may seem like a rather gutsy step, especially if you take it to the extreme. TikTok user Julia Colloca pointed out one way to perhaps do the hardest of hard launches: "I once had a friend that would literally hard launch first dates with guys ... like she'd meet the guy, and the date would full-on have its own insta spot of him tagged and all." While some people reacted to Colloca's post by saying that they loved the move, she admitted that some of the men involved didn't seem to be thrilled in the pics that were shared.

That's surely understandable. As H&H Couples Coaching explains, social media can be a major source of tension in relationships, with disagreements about privacy being a significant trigger for misunderstandings. 

That's why you'll want to make sure that you and your partner are on the same page before you launch your relationship. If they're just as excited as you and are eager to share your status with the world — as well as agree with you on what should and shouldn't be shared about your relationship — then you can both feel comfortable posting as much as your adorable hearts desire.