You have to learn to love yourself before you can be in love with someone else. You have to learn to respect yourself and become your own defined person, separate from your partner, or you’ll just get lost in your relationship and never have a personality and identity of your own.
All relationships take hard work, commitment, and sacrifice. However, there are certain things that you should never sacrifice for a relationship, no matter how much you love someone, unless you want to lose yourself.
1. Your ambitions and your career path.
If you dream of scaling the mountains, don’t give it up for a relationship! If your partner loves and respects you, he will never ask you to put aside your dreams and goals for his. Do what you’ve always dreamed of doing, otherwise you will really regret it in the years to come.
2. Your mental health and inner peace.
If your relationship is causing you a lot of stress and trauma, walk away from it no matter how much you might love your partner. I know this is easier said than done but nothing is worth putting your sanity at stake.
3. Things that make you and your personality.
Don’t change yourself for your partner because if your partner doesn’t like you the way you are; they don’t deserve to be with you. Your partner should love you with all your quirks, not in spite of them.
4. Your beliefs and the things that you stand for.
If you believe in a certain faith or thing, don’t just give it up because your partner doesn’t believe in the same things. There is no reason why both of you cannot pursue your own beliefs in the way you choose to. You shouldn’t be standing in each other’s way but instead be each other’s support system.
5. Your independence and your financial freedom.
You might quit your job to run your household but that doesn’t mean you should completely become dependent on your partner for everything. Keep your mind sharp and keep learning every day so that you know you can stand on your feet if things go south.
6. Your ability to make decisions and empower yourself.
Your partner you should respect you and ask you for your opinions on various things and matters instead of stifling your voice. If you feel like you no longer have any say in the relationship, break it off and let go before you begin to resent the person you’ve become.
7. The things that bring you joy and happiness
If your hobbies such as singing, dancing, or just anything that give you joy and your partner wants you to give them up, just don’t do it. No one who loves you will ever ask you to sacrifice on those things that genuinely make you happy and make you who you are.
8. Your relationship with your friends and family.
Don’t become so involved in your relationship that you forget about all the people who’ve been there for you throughout your life. Because chances are that if your relationship doesn’t work out, you will have no one to turn to if you isolate yourself from everyone else.
