By Jennifer Craig
Relationships bring with them many changes. Sometimes we can become so wrapped up in a relationship that we slowly lose ourselves along the way. The best piece of relationship advice I can offer is to make sure to take time for you so that you have energy to give to your significant other without feeling lost and emotionally drained. If you do that, your relationship may be as successful as David and Victoria Beckham’s!
Check out the following relationship advice I entitle, “Free to Be Me.”
Take Time for Your Interests
Especially in a new relationship, we can sometimes have the tendency to want to spend every single waking hour with the new person in our lives. There is nothing wrong with soaking up quality time together, except for when that time cuts into the hours that you used to spend on your personal interests.
In her post, “Five Signs that You’ve Lost Yourself (and Your Integrity) in Your Relationship,” Jenni Bevill states that the most important relationship in life is the one we have with ourselves. Even if it’s hard to do, carve out time for the things that you love to do. This will ensure that you don’t lose yourself in someone else by foregoing your own interests.
Maintain Friendships
One of the biggest mistakes that people in new relationships make is to neglect their other friendships in favor of a significant other. Your true friends will be happy for you and will likely understand that you want to spend much of your time dating instead of hanging out with them.
But, it’s still extremely healthy for you to take time to honor your existing friendships. You will be glad that you have taken the time to relax with friends and you just might have some interesting stories to share on your next date with your partner.
Related Link: Relationship Advice: The Pressure To Choose Friends Over Your Significant Other
Share Your Interests With Your Partner
Share your interests with your significant other by teaching them one of your hobbies or having them watch your favorite television show. It may not be their new favorite thing, but they will appreciate learning more about what makes you unique. Return the favor and explore their interests as well; you might just find a new hobby along the way.
Your Individuality is Attractive
Your friendships, your interests, and your personality are all the reasons that your significant other was first drawn to you, according to Doctor Lisa Firestone in her Psychology Today article, “Staying Compatible by Staying Yourself.” If you allow yourself to lose what makes you unique by investing yourself too heavily into a relationship, you might end up losing both yourself and your new love interest.
Related Link: Dating Advice: 7 Things All Healthy Relationships Require
Alone Time is Healthy
Trust your partner enough to know that time away from each other is healthy for the both of you. In her article, “How Not to Lose Yourself in a Relationship,” Shelly Bullard states, “Love is the ultimate opportunity for evolution.” You will find that you are more easily able to give yourself to your relationship. Investing first in yourself lends to a happier, healthier version of you, which benefits everyone.
Jennifer Craig is a long-distance relationship success story. She created SurviveLDR to help women in long-distance relationships overcome their struggles. She knows what it’s like to experience the roller coaster of emotions from frustration to joy, sadness to excitement, happiness to anger within a long-distance relationship. She wants to help other women alleviate some of the suffering that she went through making her long-distance relationship work. In addition to sharing her own insights, she also offers women the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences. Read more about Jennifer’s experiences at http://surviveldr.com/author/jennifer/, or visit her website at http://surviveldr.com/.
