By Chelsea Tirrell, Columnist

It has been assumed that in order for one to be called a “cheater,” they must carry out some physical action with someone other than their beau. Whether it’s continually hooking-up with someone on the side or a one night stand, they forget who they’re loyal to and step outside the relationship boundaries.

But what if their actions aren’t actually physical? What if they’re engaging in behaviors that they know their partner wouldn’t like? Should they be deemed a cheater, too?

Let’s say you’re out on the dance floor and spot a cutie dancing with a group of their friends. You make your way over to them and insist they dance with you. One thing leads to another and you’re too close for comfort. At that moment, you know that if your significant other saw you, you’d undoubtedly be in the dog house. And yet, you proceed.

You’ve intentionally abused your time out and have made your partner look like a fool. Still, though, you haven’t actually done anything.

Now, suppose you’re chatting with one of your good friends of the opposite sex and you start making sexual references. It’s possible that you’ve even hinted at the fact that you’d get with them had you not been taken.

Again, you’re not getting physical but if your partner read through your texts, you’d be at a loss for words. It may seem like innocent fun, but put yourself on the other side of the spectrum. You know you would hate to see them having that conversation with someone else.

Let’s forget about actions for a second and redirect this to your thoughts. We all daydream and imagine what our lives would be like if we’d done things differently. This is typical, but then there are the thoughts that read, “What if I was dating someone else?” or “What would it be like to hook-up with someone other than my boyfriend/girlfriend?”

If your partner knew you were having second thoughts, things would be on shaky ground as insecurities begin to come out into the open. Again, you’re not actually cheating but you’re thinking about it, which can be just as bad.

At the end of the day, all you can do is ask yourself how you’d feel if it was your partner doing it to you. You have to question whether you’d be okay with it or if it would make you feel uncomfortable.

When it comes time to physically getting closer to someone when you know you shouldn’t be, it’s always best to take a step back. In most cases, you’ll regret what you’ve done and later realize that there was no point, especially if you’ve got someone great waiting for you.

Flirting via text, Facebook, or any other social media device is risky as well. Words are powerful things, and what you say out loud or in print can turn things for the worst. We’re allowed to fantasize but maybe it’s best to keep that inside instead of vocalizing it.

As far as your thoughts go, you’re more than entitled to them. That’s what’s so great about them – you can think as much as you want and no one will ever know. But when your desire to express your thoughts of longing for someone else overcomes your ability to suppress them, that’s when problems arise.

If you’re truly tempted to see what else is out there, then perhaps it’s time for a break. It’s only fair for both you and your partner.