The foundation of maturity comes with self-responsibility, which forms the basis of healthy relationships. It is an empowering reminder that you play a beneficial role in the relationship. A sense of responsibility brings in dependability and trust. When responsible for your behaviours, you are willing to be vulnerable and honest with your partner. In other words, this keeps your partner authentic and open to you.
Over time I have learned to be myself in our relationship. I have accepted the fact that everyone is entitled to make mistakes. I have also identified my “unhealthy behaviours” and started owning them. I realised I was relying on my partner too much for support and affection, but I was not supporting him much. These imbalanced support dynamics were getting reflected in my self-confidence.
Simply put, my partner turned out to be my only basis of self-confidence. I took up the responsibility to alter my behavior and emphasized mutual support. And this way, I matured in my relationship.
What it is to take Responsibility:
One must understand the subtle difference between deflecting and taking responsibility in a relationship. Examples of defensive duties can be, “you never care,” “you never objected,” or “You are too possessive.” When you practice self-awareness, it becomes easier to apologize and see how your actions affect your partner. I have realized how vital it is to keep channels of communication open in sound as well as hard times. I have learned to own up to my behaviors and take responsibility for my actions.
What I Practice in Real Life:
Following are some tips I am sharing that you can practice to maintain a healthy relationship:
Practice Self-Love: Yes. Before you love anyone else, you must fall in love with yourself. In other words, if you are honest with yourself, you can easily understand others. This is a very crucial part of self-awareness. When you are self-aware, you acknowledge your actions and their consequences.
For instance, I added mustard sauce when preparing a hotdog sandwich without asking my partner. Later I realized he didn’t like the mustard sauce there. So, I apologized and admitted I should have asked him before adding it to his sandwich.
Acting Rather than Reacting to a Situation: When you get defensive about your behavior, you are reacting. When acting in a situation, you respond with awareness and clarity. I have learned to work rather than react to conditions by practicing counting or taking deep breaths. It also allows me to evaluate the situation from a different perspective. By responding effectively, I have started acting responsibly.
Forgiveness: The basis of building a solid foundation for a relationship is forgiveness. I have learned to take responsibility for my actions and learn from my mistakes. Open communication and willingness to understand my partner have helped me end the “blame game.”
Following these strategies, I have built trust in my relationship and have figured out an empowering way to learn and grow.
Moumita Bose
A lifestyle content writer, Moumita loves travelling and visiting new countries. Originally from Kolkata, Moumita now lives in the Netherlands.
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