
What is Individuality?
Every person is unique in their way. Each person has different characteristics, values, mindsets, and hobbies. And this is what makes an individuality of a person. So, individuality is the identity of an individual that makes a person unique. When a person is in a relationship, they slowly become emotionally dependent on their partner. With time a person does things according to partner likings. And that is the start of losing the individuality of a person. Individuality plays a very crucial role in a relationship. Technically speaking, it is the identity of a person. And if a person starts losing their identity, it may lead to severe repercussions. Now we know the actual meaning of individuality. So let's understand its importance in a relationship.

Why is Individuality important in a relationship?
1. To grow in love:
There are two people in a relationship. People say when two people are in love, they become two bodies and one soul. But the truth is still they are two individual people with different identities. Even if one person starts losing their individuality and starts depending entirely on their partner, the growth in love will stop. The true essence of love is to grow in love and not stop the development. So, it is crucial to stay true to your identity to grow in love.

2. To maintain peace in the relationship:
Depending on your partner for everything is the start step of losing your individuality. And this dependence on your partner for every little thing can cause a rift in the relationship. These rifts can lead to fights that may happen regularly, leading to irritation, anger, and frustration. And, these fights will disrupt your mental peace that is very much necessary in a relationship.

3. To sustain individual growth:
As human beings, the only constant thing in our life is change. And this change is vital for a human being to grow and prosper. If individual identity starts depleting, then that growth will stop. The motive of living also gets lost if the individual growth is stagnant. Individuality has a very crucial role in determining the ambitions and goals of life. These goals help in growing in life personally, professionally, and mentally. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain your identity in a relationship.

4. To care for mental health:
As mentioned earlier, lack of individuality can be the biggest reason for fights between couples. According to some people, disagreements are necessary for a relationship to make it stronger. But the constant fighting scenario can cause mental illness like anxiety, panic attacks, anger issues, and depression. Any of these illnesses are extremely dangerous for human life.

5. To inculcate self-love:
Before giving love to someone else, it is necessary to love yourself. And the art of loving oneself is called self-love. Individuality has a vital role in developing the art of self-love. Only because of personal hobbies, ambitions, and goals people take out time to relax from the responsibility. And if you are successful in loving yourself, you will easily be able to give love to other people. So, individuality is the true essence of a relationship.

5 Ways to maintain individuality in your relationship
1. Be Independent:
The first and the most salient way to maintain individuality is being independent. If you spend some time with a person, you are dependent on them for some things. And, that is alright. But, you need to make sure you can survive if someday your partner is not available. Dependency in a relationship will come automatically. But you have to make sure that you are not overly dependent on your partner for physical, financial, or emotional support. Trust me taking this step will not reduce your love for them. Instead, the love will increase. Because then, you will love your partner selflessly.

2. Have Hobbies:
There are some things in a relationship that you can do with your partner. But along with that, it is necessary to have some personal hobbies because hobbies help you discover yourself. Individual hobbies, allow you to spend time with yourself required in this hectic lifestyle of the 21st century.

3. Have some me-time:
Me-time is also known as personal time, helps in maintaining individuality in a relationship. While living with your partner, you will be codependent on each other. But, while your partner is not present, you should be able to enjoy life by yourself. That's why having personal time, even for a few minutes a day, is very much vital for maintaining individual identity.

4. Give space to your partner:
Codependency is the by-product of a relationship. If not careful, co-dependency is converted into possessiveness and addiction that is not healthy for a relationship. Possessiveness is the bug that finishes the individual identity. Therefore, giving space to your partner ensures some positivity and a sense of belonging in the relationship.

5. Have an individual life apart from your relationship:
Giving time to your partner, doing things together, and wanting to spend all the time together is the right thing to do in a relationship. After some point in time, this practice would become redundant and cause boredom in a relationship. So, having an individual life apart from your partner is crucial. Individual lifestyle provides you with anecdotes to make conversation with your partner fascinating.

Changing yourself to become someone else to impress your partner is a substantial sign of losing your individuality. Your partner loves you because of your unique traits and characteristics. If you try to change yourself into someone else, your relationship might get affected. By chance, your partner is trying to change your individuality, not for good, then it is time to realize she/he/they are not right for you. Individuality is a personality. And you should love yourself for who you are. Only then, your individuality will be maintained in a relationship.