Relationships are vital to our health and happiness. With that said, our relationships with ourselves are no less important than our relationships with others.
As discussed in this post, autonomy is necessary for personal growth. It’s great to have time and space to ourselves. There are moments in which we all know that ignoring the need to recharge would be a terrible idea!.
Moreover, taking time to do your “own thing” once in a while can actually benefit you and make you appreciate your relationships more. If you work or play apart for a bit, you have a chance to miss each other and feel extra glad to reunite. (Added bonus: something new to talk about!)
On the other hand, too much space can be destructive and a sign of underlying problems. Whether space is created out of fear of losing yourself or each other, out of mistrust or insecurity about your relationship, self-isolation rarely ends well, and the barriers you build to protect yourselves usually end up hurting everyone involved.
The fear that you can’t provide your partner with all that you “should” is another common source of barrier-building. Rifts are made out of guilt and resentment, which in turn spring forth from misconception.
Remember: No one can provide their partner with everything. A single person can’t fulfill another’s every need.
Rather than distancing ourselves from one another in hard times, acknowledging that we are all human (with natural strengths and limitations) and reaching out to each other in our communities will naturally grow and strengthen relationship intimacy.
It makes sense that unhappy couples are typically isolated, cut off from friends and family. Their relationships have grown either codependent or overly distant, and when the going gets rough, the echo-chamber in which they have become trapped may exacerbate problems. Detachment and a lack of support from others often limits perspective and feels destabilizing and alienating.
Happy couples, “Masters of Relationships,” often have supportive circles of friends who recognize, affirm, and celebrate their bond.
Escaping from the false dichotomy of independence vs. dependence—and reaching a happy state of interdependence in the context of a larger, supportive community—allows couples to experience growth to encourage one another to explore and follow personal dreams.
To reach this happy realm, couples must build a strong, secure sense of shared trust.
Here is an activity that may help you build this trust, which will lend strength and stability to your relationship.
Though you may have some difficulties forming new patterns in your communication about certain topics, the results will pay off enormously. To begin, try the following simple changes. These are just examples, so feel free to improvise:
- Your partner says, “I feeling so stressed. Do you mind if I go for a walk?” Try this: “That’s a great idea. I could use a break too. How about I watch kids while you go and then when you’re back, I’ll relax with a book.”
- When your partner says, “I haven’t seen my friend Mike in forever. We have a video chat scheduled tonight,” say, “Have a great time. That reminds me. I should call my friend Leslie when you’re done. Can you hold down the fort?”
- If you’re busy on a home project and your spouse approaches you with: “Do you want to take this online webinar with me on relationship communication?” first of all, say yes! Then, if you’d like, you can add, “That sounds wonderful. Let’s do it. When we’re done, can you help me with this project?”
