Now that you’ve fallen in love, it feels soooo good! You are on cloud nine, and maybe you think that all your problems are solved. I hope they are! But remember, the most important thing you need to do is NOT to abandon yourself now that you are in enamored and in your dream relationship. Here are some practical tips for how you can continue taking care of yourself and growing while you are in a relationship.

Here are 10 easy but essential ways to practice self-care while in love.

1. Do things that you love

When people are in love, especially in the early stages of their relationship, they tend to invest every waking moment to their significant other. The problem with that is that they forget to do things that they love. No matter how infatuated you are or how well your relationship is going, make sure to invest time in doing the things you love that are meaningful and important to you. This way you continue having your personal identity while enjoying your precious relationship.

2. Spend time with people you love other than your partner

Most likely you’ve had a friend who disappeared from your life just because they got in a relationship. Don’t be that person! Make sure that you allow time for friends and family. Cultivate meaningful relationships and enjoy the company of people who are important to you.

3. Grow on a daily basis

Even when you think you found your “better half,” it’s important for you to continue growing and investing in your personal development. Make sure that every day you devote 30 minutes to reading a book or articles on self-development. Checking emails or browsing social media doesn’t count!

4. Remember to express your needs in your relationship

Many people hope that by taking care of the needs of their partner, they will be in a position to control the relationship and make sure that things turn out the way they want. That couldn’t be farther than the truth. In reality, you have to keep a balance between catering to your partner’s needs while making sure that your needs are met too. When you are content in your relationship, then you can give more and both of you can enjoy more.

5. Set healthy boundaries

That’s another significant issue—learning to set boundaries and limits in your relationship. It may concern practical issues, such as letting your partner know that you can’t reply to their texts immediately when you are at work; it may concern personal issues, such as spending time with your friends even though your partner may not like them.

6. Maintain a positive attitude

When you are in love you most likely see the world through rose-colored glasses; yet there’s a chance that you become negative, fearful, nervous, and worried that you might lose this great relationship. The key here is to retain your positivity, to keep an optimistic outlook, and to live your life fully in the here-and-now without worrying unnecessarily about the future.

7. Take care of your body

Seriously. Keep a balanced approach. Sometimes when people fall in love, they overdo it, trying to achieve the “perfect” body, while in the meantime they stop having fun and appreciating their body shape and form. Or they do exactly the opposite—they abandon their body and don’t make time to exercise, move, or do what they need to do to feel good in their own skin.

8. Open yourself to beauty

Beauty has restorative powers for the heart and soul once you allow yourself to see it. Make sure that every day you allow yourself to notice something beautiful around you. Don’t just assume that your beauty is limited to your partner and your relationship. Make sure that you find sources of beauty in your life.

9. Express your creativity

Allow your creative juices to flow and give them an outlet! Perhaps you enjoy writing poems, drawing, coloring, cooking, or making crafts. Whatever it is that you enjoy creating, it’s good for your soul and your relationship! Allow yourself to be creative and express your ideas, thoughts, and feelings in ways that helps you expand as a person.

10. Set small, manageable goals for yourself

Yes, you may have managed to achieve your big goal—you got yourself in a relationship, and a good one for that matter! But life doesn’t end here. Make sure you have a variety of small, manageable, measurable goals that you can achieve and that gives you a sense of success, self-worth, and self-confidence. After all, you are more than your relationship!