I have never known to my husband as my soul mate, and here’s why.

When I was younger, I was carried away by the idea of meeting my soul mate. I devoured books and movies about people falling in love and knowing they had found their “other half.” I longed to have that same experience. I imagined that somewhere, there was a man who was right for only me.

As I grew older and had a few significant relationships behind me, I began to realize that this “ideal” of finding my “other half” might not be what I was I was led to believe.

With each new relationship, especially at the start when it was in that “infatuation phase,” I believed that I had met The One. But when the relationship ended I was bitterly frustrated and I began to doubt whether I was capable of realizing my soul mate at all.

I began to re-think my idea of a soul mate. I realized that I was giving each new man a special status in my life that was incorrect, an ideal that no one could live up to, myself involved.

Here’s what I came to - every person you meet is your soul mate!

We are all souls that have relationships, whether as lovers, family or friends. Anyone you have an connections with, even the sales clerk at the store, is a soul mate, someone who comes into your life for a objective and a certain amount of time.

Yes, you have stronger ties with some than with others, and yes, when you meet a special man it will feel like you’ve met your other half. But that is a lot of hope and pressure to put on someone, and in time that feeling could change if you drift apart or have a nasty break up.

When you spread the specialness of finding your soul mate around a little, it will take the pressure off. Look at every person you meet to be connected to you, and recognize their importance in your life for whatever reason and for whatever lesson they have for you. We are all just human after all, with faults and weaknesses, and when think we’ve met that special someone we can feel lucky to recognize the strength of the soul connection that’s there.

Virginia is an award-winning relationship coach who works with women in struggling connections as well as with single women who are looking for their Mr. Right. She helps women find true love throughout the United States as well as worldwide.