I'm a 18-year-old female and my boyfriend, who is 19, wants us to get married, but I'm unsure if I'm ready for that step.
I've been with my boyfriend for almost a year now, and we've recently begun discussing marriage. At first, I was super excited, but then a flood of doubts crept in. What if he isn't the right one, and we end up divorced? I find myself questioning whether I'm truly ready for marriage, and I'm unsure if I'll ever feel prepared. I love him and envision a future together, so I suggested we get our own place first and then consider marriage. He insists he wants to marry me and spend his life with me, which sounds amazing, but I still have my reservations. I haven't finished school yet, we don’t have our own home, and I’m not in my dream job. I’d prefer to feel more stable before taking such a big step, but I worry that I might never feel ready. I tend to overthink everything, and I might be doing that with this situation as well. I genuinely love him and can picture a life together. We share the same values, want similar lifestyles, and agree on how to raise our future kids. He feels perfect for me; we both embrace our quirks, and I appreciate his kindness and willingness to improve. Still, I grapple with the uncertainty of whether I'm ready for marriage and fear he might leave if I’m not. I desire independence and want to experience life on my own, but I also long to share those experiences with him. My emotions are all over the place. I care deeply for him and fear losing him, but I’m conflicted about whether I'm truly ready or just overthinking everything.