In a healthy relationship, your partner is meant to enhance your life, but not be your everything. Otherwise, that can lead to a co-dependant and unhealthy dynamic. No one can complete you but yourself, and your partner should help the real you flourish and be your best self rather than being obsessive or clingy.
1. You need to maintain your own interests in order to still be interested in each other. No one wants to feel like they’re looking in the mirror when they see their partner. That’s boring (unless they’re a total narcissist…)
2. Hand in hand, having your own interests will also stimulate conversation between the two of you and help keep the spark alive and help your hold on to your individuality which is the key to every successful power couple.
3. You need to have friends so you can have someone to ask advice about relationship issues and life problems from a perspective that’s not your boyfriend. Having friends will also help you not hang out with your partner all the time and get sick of them. Girl time is so vital.
4. Because your career helps shape and motivate the qualities that bae loves about you – your ambition and hustle, your go-getter attitude…nothing turns him on more than seeing you in boss lady mode. Being good at your job and throwing passion into it will help your relationship and also make you more confident.
5. Putting all your eggs in one basket was never good for anyone. Hey, sometimes things don’t work out. It’s nobody’s fault and we can’t tell the future. But if something did happen and you turned that person into your whole life, you’ll find yourself quite lonely and unhappy with nothing to look to in terms of distractions and positivity.
6. Because you should prioritize the development of yourself and self expansion in order to properly self expand as a couple, together. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone in your own independent experiences is paramount to a healthy relationship.
7. One person can’t meet all your needs. Even your soulmate. That puts unrealistic expectations and strain on a relationship. There’s some things that are good to discuss with your boyfriend, and some where you should probably just all your mom or your BFF.
8. Because girl power is real and shouldn’t be underestimated. This is kind of related to the last point in the sense that different people in your life play different roles, but when it’s time to do some emergency girl talk and only your dude is around, it can lead to a lack of fulfillment. Having female solidarity will make you want to punch him in the face less and help you keep your cool.
9. Because keeping the mystery is essential to keeping a relationship alive. When you tell your partner absolutely everything, it can backfire. Don’t get us wrong, honesty is #1. But you don’t need to tell him about your bathroom habits or ask him to go get pedicures with you or which spa treatment he thinks you should get.
10. Learning new things isn’t just essential for your relationship. It’s essential to being a growing person if you ever want to be cultured and wise one day. And you’ll never lean anything from someone you’re obsessed with or become the same person as. Different is good! Embrace it.