Relationships, intimate partnerships, partnerships with self, and loneliness are all things humans experience in their life. A relationship is a way in which two or more people, concepts, and objects are connected or the state of being connected (Merriam-Webster. (n.d), Relationship definition & meaning 2023). Self-partnership denotes a commitment to honoring one's needs, healing one's wound, and working towards growth and self-actualization (Sussex Publishers, Why everyone should be self-partnered 2023). Practicing this form of self-love can be beneficial for one’s relationships with others because when you actively love yourself, you can clearly communicate that to others in your life. In addition to practicing self-love, trust must be at the forefront of any healthy relationship. Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of something or someone (Merriam-Webster, Trust definition & meaning 2023). When one trusts oneself and exudes confidence in one’s power the ability to grow beyond one’s comfort zone is not such a daunting task. Loneliness, by definition, is sadness because one has no friends or company. In life, loneliness can look very different from this dictionary definition. One can be lonely with many friends, family, and others around. This can be a disheartening, odd experience of disconnection and isolation from relationships in your life.

We have thoroughly discussed the definitions of all the different types of relationships. I would like to discuss my personal experience with the topic of relationships. During high school, I lost my self-love, confidence, and trust in my abilities during my teenage years. I believe this happened because I changed high schools during my sophomore year and once I got to my undergraduate studies, I began to learn who I am and relearn to trust myself in all my abilities. Once I did this, it had a domino effect on my intimate relationships and friendships. In my intimate relationship at the time, I learned more about myself during my time of self-love; it allowed me to not accept anything less than what I deserved. My friendships became stronger but my circle of friends became small. I believe the reason my circle of friends shrank was due to the same reason my intimate relationship was reevaluated; because I was confident in myself and honored who I wanted to be in any type of relationship I was evaluating. This process of self-love, growth, and gaining confidence was a journey and I would attribute my growth to learning about myself first, and the rest was history. This process can be very difficult for individuals but it is necessary.

Here are a few takeaways for each type of relationship to ensure you honor yourself in a self-partnership, intimate partnership, and friendships. First, by honoring yourself in a self-partnership, try to keep self-promises. If you made a promise or goal to yourself to eat better this year, then honor that promise consistently. In doing this, you will begin to intentionally love yourself physically but also understand the magnitude of honoring yourself by keeping self-promises. In intimate partnerships, communicating how you feel and your needs can be scary and vulnerable. But it is necessary so your partner can decide if they are willing to honor you and your relationship through compromise. Lastly, in friendships, honesty and transparency can be helpful in creating lasting healthy friendships. All three of these takeaways can be transferable to all the different types of relationships. Most importantly, if you are able to understand self-love and learn about yourself, then it will be easier to manage your other relationships.