Ben Higgins - Lauren Bushnell - Bachelor 20 - Discussion - #4

I found the friendship conversation interesting. I think the two of them don't often have friendships with the the opposite sex, only from what I've seen. Ben's a guys guy, he's not a nick who can have all these friendships with women. Lauren's a girls girl, that's where you can see she enjoys spending her time. Doesn't mean they love each other less, just what their make up and personalities allow.

I think Ben and Lauren have as much as friendship as Ben and Lauren and their personalities can allow. But what I always thought they do have is very similar foundations. From family to religion to values to "vanilla" personalities at times.  And I still believe they absolutely love each other.

Lauren loves California, she had to give that up for Ben and that's not easy. I think it's only fair that she gets to spend time there on ocassion especially if their lifestyle allows it. I think Ben and Lauren are fine, if anything I think that this weekend Ben realized he could lose Lauren if he doesn't step it up and I don't think he wants that. His post about getting her number had traces of that imo.

Having a healthy relationship in my opinion - is being able to spend extended periods a time with close friends and family without the other individual. IMO. My DH and I spent a couple Christmases apart (we don't have kids) because we both wanted to spend time with our respective families and it wouldn't work out to do both. We had our own little Christmas a couple weeks before just the two of us. So I don't find Lauren staying in LA with a friend weird or offputting - who by the way recently broke up with her boyfriend/fiancé. Could they have troubles - sure - but her and him having fun with a friend for a couple days might also mean that they are at the comfortable stage in their relationship.
All IMO.

^^^
Agree that independence within a relationship works as easily for some as spending most of their time together works for others. All that's important is that both halves in the couple have the same preference. If someone places value on having "free time" and is not given it, they will feel boxed in eventually.  If someone values spending a lot of time with their partner and doesn't get it they will begin to feel anxious or neglected. IMO.
It comes down to personal need of both Ben and Lauren.  I have no idea what their preference is.

Lauren has been in La a while, but it could be that she is staying for work reasons. Maybe she has appearances or is staying for golden globe parties or photo shoots or something like that.

Is Lauren still in L.A. does anybody know

Edgarretana10 wrote:Is Lauren still in L.A. does anybody know

She has an IG story up and she's clearly at an airport.

Video of them on Lauren's snapchat. I don't really see anything weird, honestly. Both seems relax.

I certainly don't think they're breaking up anytime soon. I'm not on that train, but I did find both of their retweets kind of odd. It's basically Lauren saying Ben, give me my dog and with Ben it's like he's basically saying I changed myself to please others, but now I don't like myself.

Kind of interesting IMO.

I say they have a dog by Valentine's Day.

I hope they don't get a dog unless they are both ready and want a dog. JMO

everyone and their mom is #newyearnewme in January. We all think about the year behind us and what we want for the next year. Those tweets could easily be personal goals vs relationship goals and interpreted as Lauren wanting to take more risks and/or encourage Ben to be more of a risk taker. He is such an over thinker. IMO, the only conformity Ben has done is in regards to being TPTB's puppet for their happily ever after show which didn't paint him as the "perfect Ben" anymore.

I hope they get a dog. I don't care what Ben wants.