Why It’s Important To Know Yourself Before Getting Into A Relationship
There are more ways than ever before to meet someone new to have a relationship with, especially with the advent of dating apps and, to some extent, social media. But although you might assume you need to be in a relationship, the truth is you don’t, and that’s especially true if you haven’t yet taken the time to get to know yourself properly. If you want any relationship to be successful, knowing yourself is the first step; read on to find out why this is.
Understand What You Need
When you know yourself better, you’ll have a much better understanding of what you need from a relationship – or what you want. You can set yourself some goals and make sure you know your values, and ensure that any relationship you enter into will help you reach whatever it is you’re looking for in life.
When you can do this, the relationship will be stronger, as you’ll be helping one another and not standing in one another’s way; plus, you’ll have a lot more in common, which is what all good relationships need. Of course, things do change, and if you find that your goals are drifting apart, it can be a wise idea to get help from a counseling service like Lifeworks Recovery to get back on track.
Self-Love And Self-Respect
Before you look for love from someone else, you need to find self-love and self-respect; this will help you gain a more positive self-image, which means you’ll find relationships with people who treat you the right way because you know exactly what you’re worth.
Essentially, when you love yourself, you won’t get into a bad relationship that is all about the other person constantly validating you (or you looking for that validation) because you already know you’re a wonderful person with a lot to give. You’ll be able to put healthy boundaries in place, and your relationships will be happier moving forward.
Know The Deal-Breakers
When you have a deeper understanding of yourself before getting into a relationship, you’ll also be able to determine any deal-breakers. You’ll know what you’re looking for, but equally, you’ll see what you don’t want, and you’ll be in a stronger position to say no and walk away if need be.
Although compromise is at the heart of a good relationship, there will always be things you don’t want to compromise on, but rushing from relationship to relationship might not give you a chance to work out what those things are. By spending some time alone and getting to know yourself much better, you’ll be able to determine what works for you and what doesn’t. When you are ready to get into another relationship, you can save time and energy by knowing instantly whether this is right for you. You can save yourself and your potential partner a lot of heartache just by knowing what you will and won’t tolerate and what a red flag might be to you.
