What is Relationship Self-Care? Here Are Some of Our Favorite Examples
In everyday life it is important that you take care of yourself first and foremost. A great way to do this is through practicing self care, which means taking care of and prioritizing your mental, physical and emotional health. In a relationship it’s also crucial that you take care of yourself, but this can often look a little different than self care for a single person. The term relationship self care has come about to describe the delicate balance of taking care of yourself while you are in a loving partnership so that you can have the best relationship possible.
It can often be difficult, especially when you are in a relationship, to take time for yourself without feeling selfish or demanding. But self care is important no matter your relationship status. If you and your partner both practice self care, you will be more understanding, loving and accepting of yourselves, which will be mirrored in your relationship. A healthy relationship requires two healthy people. At the end of the day, you are the only person that can take responsibility for your mental, physical and emotional health, but taking responsibility of this can be very daunting, especially when you have another person on your mind.
The following are a few of our favorite examples of how to practice relationship self care so that you and your partner are the best versions of you and so that your relationship can flourish.
Maintaining Independence
Even though you and your partner are a couple, it’s important that you maintain your independence even when you’re in a relationship. I mean, no one wants to be that couple that completely morphs into one person do they? A good way to maintain independence and your sense of self is to spend some time apart from your partner.
Even if you really enjoy each other’s company, getting out by yourself or just taking some quiet time can help you check in on yourself, do some self care and stay grounded. In addition to taking some alone time, it can be important to maintain your personal interests and good habits even when you’re in a relationship. Doing so will not only carve out some time apart from your partner, but it will help you stay true to yourself and maintain your independence. In addition to keeping up your interests, it’s important that you maintain some degree of autonomy in your relationship. Most of the time you know what’s best for yourself, and you can make the best decision for you.
Don’t rely on/allow your partner to call all of the shots, no matter how much you trust them and their judgement. Maintaining your independence in these ways will help you maintain your sense of self, which is a super important part of self care. Staying true to yourself will also make you a better partner, which will help your relationship as a whole.
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Having a Group of Your Own Friends
As much as you love spending one on one time with your partner, it’s important that you have a social life outside of your relationship. It’s actually not that healthy to do EVERYTHING as a couple. And it’s also really not cool to ditch all your friends as soon as you get into a relationship. Make sure that you keep up with your friends and maintain a social life when you’re in a relationship, and encourage your partner to do the same.
Having a strong support network can be an important part of self care for many people, so lean into your friends and keep them close no matter what your relationship status is. Having some separation in your social spheres will help you and your partner both in terms of your self care, which means that this can also improve your relationship.
Pursuing a Personal Hobby
Trying out, picking up or maintaining a personal hobby is an important part of self care. During the hustle and bustle of everyday life and all the obligations we have between work and errands, it’s important to find an activity that you enjoy doing and can look forward to. Whether it’s journaling, art projects, reading or exercise, hobbies are great because they allow you to unplug from the stresses of everyday life. It’s important to pursue a personal hobby when you’re in a relationship, so that you have a way to blow off steam. It can be easy to rely on your partner when you are feeling overwhelmed, but if you can find a way to channel those feelings elsewhere, it can take a lot of stress off of your partner.
Afterall, you can’t expect your partner to have all the answers. Or to shoulder the stress you project onto them! Finding a way to blow off steam is important so that you can manage your stress in a healthy way. Pursuing a personal hobby can also help you maintain your independence. Keeping up with hobbies can be a great way to maintain your identity and incorporate self care into your daily life. Finding hobbies you enjoy will help you manage stress, which will make you happier and more emotionally available for your partner and your relationship.
Actively Trying to Improve Your Relationship
Relationship self care is not only about finding personal activities that help you on your journey to self care, but it’s also about taking care of your relationship. Taking care of your relationship requires both you and your partner to actively seek out ways to improve your relationship and strengthen your bond. A good way to do this is through Relish.
Relish is a relationship coaching app that can help you and your partner set and achieve your relationship goals through coaching with a personalized therapist. Using Relish will help you and your partner identify the current problems or growth areas in your relationship so that you can address them as a team, with the help of a certified coach.
Relish will give you the tools to help you take care of your relationship. Try our award winning relationship self care app free for one week. Install now!
