Engaging in self-care is a crucial part of creating and maintaining healthy relationships. It might sound counterintuitive, but by prioritizing yourself and your needs you’re able to take care of others in a more effective manner. When we fill our own cup, we’re laying the foundation for healthier and more fulfilling connections. Here’s how prioritizing self-care sets the right tone for your relationships: 

Maintain Your Independence 

It’s easy to become codependent on your significant other, especially early on in the relationship when you’re spending quite a bit of time getting to know each other on a deeper level. Taking time for yourself outside of your relationship allows you to maintain your individuality and identity. Your friends, hobbies, and interests are all still important components of yourself. Don’t lose the core parts of who you are. Set aside “me time” everyday, whatever that looks like to you, even just for a few minutes. When we ignore our inner needs and put ourselves on the back burner, we’re only setting ourselves up to grow to resent our partner – leading to a toxic relationship. Having a sense of independence also allows us to be fully present when we are spending time with our partner because our mind is clear of outside distractions. 

Stronger Communication 

When our needs are met, we’re more in touch with our emotions and our overall well-being. Spending time in solitude and engaging in daily self-reflection is when we can clearly organize our thoughts. This practice allows us to effectively communicate our feelings with our partner and develop a deeper sense of understanding of one another. Strong communication fosters intimacy and creates transparency in relationships, deepening the connection between you and your partner. 

Improved Problem Solving

Without adequate self-care, we’re more likely to explode in an argument rather than thinking it through with a levelhead. Self-care activities, such as going for a long walk or journaling, provide us with the opportunity to take a step back and work through the problem. When you’re alone, you’re able to look at the situation from a different perspective – put yourself in your partner’s shoes and see where they are coming from. You’re likely to leave with a new outlook and come back with solutions to discuss together.  

Remember, self-care is not selfish and it’s not a luxury – this should be a part of all our daily routines in order to be the best version of ourselves and forge healthy, long-lasting relationships.