White flags traditionally represent surrender, something that thriving relationships require. This surrender isn’t just necessary in conflict, but also in everyday situations.

This includes putting aside personal interests and compromising by favoring your partner’s instead, like lying about liking hash browns so your partner can have both servings.

White flags in relationships evolve over time. Early on, they may surface as white lies, like lying about being able to wink because your partner finds it cute that you can’t.

As the relationship progresses, these white lies are replaced by new white flags, like letting your partner choose where to eat or washing the dishes that they forgot about.

If your white flag involves dishonesty it can trigger trust issues later, even if you lied for the other person’s benefit. They may struggle to believe what you say going forward.

However, it doesn’t always pay to give your partner what they want; too much selflessness can be a curse rather than a virtue. Remember to occasionally honor your own needs.

Some surrendering is necessary for a relationship to last, as long as it’s in a healthy way. Both partners should be willing to compromise so things don’t become one-sided.

To know if a white flag is a good idea, consider how you'd feel about it if your partner didn't express gratitude after. If you’d feel resentful, you’re better off not conceding.