7 Things You Should Never Give Up When in a Relationship

When we get into a relationship, we know that we are going to have to sacrifice some things in order to keep the other person happy. This could be anything from that smoking habit to that hideous chair from your college days. Be that as it may, there are some things that you should never give up when you find yourself in a relationship.

1. Your Independence.
When we say your independence, we are talking about your personal and financial independence. You should make ample time to see people that matter to you and you shouldn’t feel like you have to include your partner in everything you do. Also, it’s a good idea to keep a separate bank account, just in case things go south and they are tempted to drain the accounts as some evil plot to get back at you. When you are independent from your partner, the relationship feels like you’re in it because you choose to be, not because you have to.

2. Your self-esteem and confidence.
If the person you’re in a relationship with treats you any way that makes you feel bad about yourself or anything less of how you would treat them, then it is time to say goodbye because that relationship is definitely not a healthy one and it isn’t going anywhere, and fast. Any person who makes you feel inferior isn’t someone that you should want to keep around. In all honesty, a relationship, when it is healthy, should raise your self-esteem and make you feel much more confident in yourself.

3. Your friends.
No one should ever feel like they have to give up their friends for a partner. Sure, in the early stages of your relationship you will feel like you have to spend as much time with your new partner as possible, but in reality, you don’t want to push your friends to the back burner. These people have been by your side long before your new love has, and if things should go wrong in the relationship, your friends will be there long after the relationship ends too. Your friends are the constant, your partner — eh maybe not so much.

4. The goals you have for your career.
You’re taking great strides in creating this life for yourself, strides which include climbing the corporate ladder at a record pace. The moment you find yourself in a relationship, you may want to put the brakes on your career goals, but don’t. Never stop what is going on in your life for the sake of a relationship. You have a clear view of what you want for yourself and if your partner cannot support your decision and your goals, then perhaps they aren’t the one for you.

5. Your happiness.
This should go without saying. What is the point in being in a relationship if you are not happy? A relationship should make you feel happy, it should bring out the best in you, it should make you appreciate the other person who is by your side. So when your relationship steals your happiness, what are you doing in it? Sadly, many people fear to be alone much more than they value their happiness, so they are willing to be in a dysfunctional relationship just so they can say that they have a partner. We fully recommend that you take a step back and reevaluate your situation before committing more time to something that leaves you feeling unfulfilled.

6. Your ability to make decisions.
Relationships are about compromises, we’ve already touched on that. However, when your relationship dictates how you should think, feel, and act, then you are not in a healthy relationship. For example, if your partner tells you that you should do this one way instead of another way without offering much of an explanation, then they are taking away your ability to think for yourself. By being able to make decisions on your own, you’re retaining your sense of self and individuality.

7. Your identity.
When we get into a relationship, sometimes we have this tendency to lose pieces of ourselves. We stop participating in activities we once enjoyed so that we can have time to spend with our partner. We stop watching particular shows because the other person finds them offensive. When you’re in a healthy relationship, you shouldn’t feel like you have to change who you are just to appease them. Ideally, they accept and love you just as you are.