While you should never change your core identity and values for the sake of someone else, making sacrifices are a big part of a functional and healthy relationship. Here are some things that it might be ok to give up or at least tweak within yourself.
1. Hobbies and certain interests. You don’t need to drop the ones that you already love, but taking on new ones that can bring shared bonding experiences and appeal to your partner can bring you closer tougher. Discover that new sport, TV show, or book!
2. Exercise habits and diet. You might even stop smoking! Making these changes are positive and won’t only impress your partner, but will help you live longer and stay in amazing shape. Why not take great care of yourself?
3. Cities or even countries. Love doesn’t abide to the rules of citizenship. And while picking up and moving isn’t easy for anyone, it can be exciting for some and a fresh start of sorts. If it feels like the right choice for the rest of your life (not just relationship) why not go out of your comfort zone?
4. You might be able to trade in those bad qualities for better ones. All of us have a vice – maybe your partner encourages you not to indulge in it. If you’re always late, they can help you become a more punctual person – a little effort goes a long way.
5. Being messy and other living habits. When you live together, your true self really shows. You can’t fake being a neat freak if you’re messy, and this can help you be a cleaner person that does the dishes and mops the floors a bit more frequently – one step closer to adulting!
6. How you argue. Some of us haven’t learned to argue in the most productive or communicative of manners. And while disagreements are inevitable, you must learn how to not shut down in the face of communication and instead fight in a healthy way.
7. How you see your future. Your five or ten-year plan might drastically changeв now. These visions might shift intensely, but still, never mean you should sacrifice the dreams which are important for you.
8. Your perception and notion of ideal love. Relationships aren’t just smooth sailing, but after a fight, you can grow closer to your partner and your relationship can become stronger. Love isn’t just some pretty idea – there are many other ideas and manifestation of it, and those may change over time.
9. Your eating preferences and habits. You might love chocolate but your partner might hate it, so you swap to ice cream more often than not. Or, you’re a vegetarian and your partner loves bacon. We make compromises for those we love, and sometimes they’re even healthy ones.
10. How much time you spend socializing with friends. When you’re single, you spend most of your time with your friends. But when your better half is part of the picture, some more time and effort is necessary in that relationship. After all, friends should be supportive and understanding.
