That is a great question and one that is always tough to navigate. Relationships can be really great, but trying to find a good balance between that and friends can be difficult. It is very reasonable to have a relationship and still have close friends. It is also very healthy to not be isolated in a relationship and important to have a life outside of your relationship. It may even better your relationship when you have close friends to be able to spend time with outside of your relationship.
In order for this all to occur though, communication is important. When starting any relationship or even any relationship in general, it is important to talk about your concerns. If you take the time to speak with your significant other about making sure while this is going on your friends are kept close the more likely you’ll be to do what is necessary to keep your friends close. However, if you are worried about anger from your significant other for wanting this or about possible prevention from them, it may be necessary to look at the healthiness of your relationship as a whole. Same thing goes if your friends are preventing or against your relationship because they want to keep you to themselves. It is extremely important to have that balance in your life. Another way to possibly balance is create scheduling for friends time. For example, rather than spending every evening with your significant other, set aside two evenings to spend with your friends. Similar to a relationships, communication is just as important in friendships. Talking about what you want from someone and the best way to go about it is important for any type of relationship. Even though you may have most of your time taken up either by friends or your significant other, it is still important that you take time to engage in self-care. It is important to make sure you get enough sleep, eating regularly, and overall just doing something you enjoy such as walking Netflix.
Trying to figure out all of this is not an easy task, but you are never alone. Feel free to chat with us online at www.calgaryconnecteen.com or text us at 587-333-2724 during out peer support hours which can be found on our website. You also can call our 24/7 phone line at 403-264-TEEN(8336).
