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Love, Yet Free: Keeping Independence in Love

Balancing ‘Us’ and ‘Me’ in Lasting Relationships

Edy Zoo
4 min readOct 22, 2023
Photo by Aki Tolentino on Unsplash

Picture this: you’re sailing on a calm sea, the wind is in your favor, the sun is shining, and you’ve got your favorite person in the world right beside you. That’s what a great relationship feels like. But sometimes, even the most experienced sailors need to venture onto their islands to restock, rejuvenate, and maybe enjoy a coconut or two on their own. That’s what maintaining independence in a relationship is like. Necessary, healthy, and, dare I say, pretty refreshing.

When you’re in love, it’s easy to want to do everything together. Movie nights, family gatherings, grocery shopping, and sometimes, even bathroom breaks (we’ve all been there). But here’s a little secret: preserving your individuality within a relationship is like putting money in a high-interest savings account; it’s an investment in your future happiness. But how do you strike that perfect balance between “us” and “me”? Grab a seat, and let’s dive in.

  1. Remember, You’re a Whole All By Yourself: Before anything else, recognize that you are your person, complete and whole, all by yourself. You have your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and friends. That shouldn’t change because you’re part of a couple. It’s like being two trees growing side by side, supporting each other yet…

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Edy Zoo
Edy Zoo

Written by Edy Zoo

Edy Zoo is a social critic, theologian, and philosopher who writes about social subjects.

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