I always see posts about how to appreciate your own company when you don’t have a significant other, but what about when you do?

What about when you’re in a long-term relationship?

Taking time to yourself and enjoying your own company is just as important.

Yes, you may have someone now you can go out for dinner with, and take to the movies. But it’s also important to have those nights where you draw yourself a bath, turn off your phone and read your favourite book. Or maybe those moments where you catch up on your favourite Netflix show.

Go shopping by yourself. Take yourself to the new coffee shop down the street you’ve been excited to go to but no one is available to go with.

Having a significant other doesn’t mean you should stop appreciating what you bring to the table, and just how important it is to take care of yourself.

Don’t give up the things you used to love doing when you were alone. Write your poetry. Read your books. Go for those nightly runs. It’s important to take time for yourself too.

Don’t be afraid to be by yourself. When we get into relationships we can feel lonely when we’re not with our partner. The coffee doesn’t taste the same, the sunset just isn’t as pretty, and the nights feel colder. While it may be ‘more fun’ with them, it can still be fun alone too.

A lot of the time we can get so wrapped up in our partners we forget what we need too. We spend so much time making sure they’re okay, we forget to check in on ourselves.

Take those self-care days. Spend all day in bed avoiding the world if that’s what you need. Your friends, and partner will understand. Continue your healthy routines you had before you were taken. Someone who cares about you will want you to take care of yourself, even if it means no date nights on Thursdays at 7pm because that’s when you go to the gym. Or cancelling dates because you really need time to be alone.

Take breaks. Take moments to yourself. Remind yourself that you were someone before they came along, someone amazing. They make you happy, but you need to be there for yourself too.

Allow yourself to grow.

Own your solitude. Take advantage of the Friday nights you spend alone by working on projects you haven’t had time to in a while. Or maybe just enjoy rare moments of peace and quiet.

Impress, appreciate, and never stop working on yourself.

You are a work in progress.

Never stop giving yourself the environment you need to flourish.