16 Comments
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JimNY's avatar

"The truth is, love grows when we let it be. You don’t have to trade your inner world for a shared one. You get to keep both. You get to keep you." - 👍👍 how true!

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Linda AvD's avatar

Love this!

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John Wright's avatar

such wonderful AND important words for the success of ANY partnership!! You nailed it!!

Love it ... John

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

thanks, John!

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john duvall's avatar

I would also add you can have your reading time cuddled up together while he’s watching a YouTube or one of his shows that you aren’t crazy about

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

yes!! SUCH a good point.

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Linda AvD's avatar

When my husband and I married and started living together, I was insisting on my own space: a spare bedroom with my books and a place to read. Just because I was nervous that I would not be able to handle the 24/7 being together. I think I used that space a few times, but I found that the beauty of our growing relationship was that we could BE together without constantly BEHAVE a certain way, and checking in with each other. Still to this day it is my favourite time when I am reading on the couch, my husband is doing his puzzle (yeah we are getting old) and my daughter is goofing around.

To have enough trust in each other to just do what you need and accept and encourage that in one another.

It requires trust and courage to communicate about this, but in a loving relationship you’ll want your partner to thrive and it will probably not hurt their feelings.

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

I couldn’t love this more, Linda!! What a beautiful marriage you have ❤️

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Larry Grant's avatar

What a great response to a most important question. His partner may very well be feeling the same. Alone time is necessary for a good relationship. Likewise you seldom will find a couple that like all the same television shows or movies.

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

so true, Larry!

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Kyle Remy's avatar

I would say that maybe you need the alone time because, not to get away from your partner, but it's the time you need to think about your relationship and think about ways you personally can be better in it, ways to help make your partner feel happy and fulfilled in your relationship. Some people, like me, would go for a run with my headphones, it's where I have time to think about the day and discover more ways to keep our relationship from getting stagnant, boring.

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

Yes! We all have something that brings us relief and peace!

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Natasha's avatar

Alone time is so important, whether it’s reflecting, reading, diary time or doing nothing. While your partner is doing something you are not into, it’s okay to be doing your own thing. Is audiobook time an option?

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

Oh absolutely!

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Sue P's avatar

You gave a wonderful and thoughtful answer. I would bet that his partner has some of the same feelings and would also like some alone time. Communication is so important, so he should bring the subject up to his partner. He can plan ahead just how he will phrase the topic and go gently forward. If they are close enough that they are living together, it should not cause a problem if it is done carefully.

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PJ and Thomas's avatar

Agreed!

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