Independent Together

When you meet that person and then they become your person, it is such a wonderful experience. The honeymoon period is filled with moments of excitement, romance, and bliss. The newness of everything can be quite intoxicating and all-encompassing. As your relationship develops, you continue to share more, trust more and your connection deepens. Before you know it, you and your person are like two peas in a blissful pod. There is nothing wrong with this and quite natural and necessary for relationships to blossom into sustainable, healthy relationships.


However, at some point, you need to snap out of it and focus on what’s happening around you. There are other people and things that you need to pay attention to in life. While it is wonderful to be coupled up, it is also just as important to be your own person. That’s where the phrase, independent together, comes into play. Putting the word independent with together is an oxymoron but it is meaningful.


Sometimes people get so wrapped up in one another, they isolate themselves and let other important relationships or activities fall by the wayside. It is just as important to retain your own individuality while being in a relationship.


Here are some tips to foster your relationship while retaining some independence:

1.     Date nights. When you become exclusive and/or get married, remember that it is important to keep dating each other. This helps keep the romance alive. Surprise one another with small, random gifts like you did when you were first getting to know one another. Play fun, flirty games. Try this as an example, over dinner open up a random question generator on the internet and ask each other questions that pop up. You may even learn something new about your person!


2.     Hobbies. Continue to do things together that brought you together to maintain your connection. Don’t stop these activities after the newness wears off. It is equally as important to continue doing things you did before you became a couple. If you went cross country biking with friends, and your mate isn’t interested, go out on excursions with your friends. Time away from one another does make the heart grow fonder and you’ll have fun stories to share when you return.


3.     Alone time. This is a big one for many couples. Alone time can take place while you are sitting in the same room. If you love romance novels, pick up a book while your partner is working on the NY Times crossword puzzle. Alone time is important to rest, relax, and destress. Everyone needs time alone. Even when you were single, you may have had times when you didn’t want to go out with friends. Alone time can even be scheduled like date nights. Perhaps your favorite time to be alone is on Saturday mornings. Just knowing that you have that time apart can make your alone time very meaningful and filled with activities that you love to do. Even if it is just sitting and quietly meditating.

Just remember to be flexible and in tune with one another. These activities do not have to be structured as rigidly as tacos on Tuesday. Relationships are all about give and take and there is an ebb and flow to all long-lasting relationships. Enjoy the time spent with your person and by yourself.

 

Hurricane Anxiety Is Real: Staying Calm and Prepared During Storm Season

September 30, 2026
Living in Florida means accepting that hurricane season returns every year. We know the familiar routine of checking supplies, watching forecasts, and wondering whether the next storm will turn toward us. Even when a storm is still days away or far out in the Atlantic, the constant updates can create a growing sense of uneasiness. Weather alerts, dramatic headlines, social media rumors, crowded stores, and memories of previous hurricanes can make it difficult to think about anything else.  Some anxiety during hurricane season is understandable. Storms involve uncertainty, disruption, and circumstances we cannot control. The goal is not to eliminate every worried thought. It is to keep those thoughts from taking over while making practical choices that help you and your family feel prepared.

When Your Teen Turns to AI for Emotional Support: How Parents Can Stay Connected

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Technology has become a natural part of daily life for teenagers. They use it to complete schoolwork, connect with friends, explore their interests, and find answers to questions they may not feel comfortable asking someone in person. Increasingly, some teens are also turning to artificial intelligence chatbots when they feel lonely, anxious, angry, confused, or overwhelmed. A chatbot is available at any hour, responds immediately, and does not appear shocked or judgmental. For a young person who is struggling to put feelings into words, that can make AI seem like an easy and comforting place to turn.  This does not automatically mean something is wrong. However, it does create an important opportunity for parents to understand how their teen is using AI and to help them recognize the difference between a helpful tool and genuine emotional support.

Pre-Marital Counseling: Setting the Foundation for a Strong, Lasting Marriage

By Helen Murray • March 31, 2026
Getting engaged is an exciting time in a couple’s life, filled with plans, celebrations, and dreams about the future. But it can also be a time when important conversations get pushed aside in favor of logistics like venues, guest lists, and color palettes. Pre-marital counseling offers couples a chance to slow down and focus on something just as important as the wedding day itself: the marriage that follows. With nearly half of marriages ending in divorce, many couples are choosing to be proactive rather than reactive. Pre-marital counseling isn’t about assuming something will go wrong, it’s about building the skills, understanding, and emotional awareness that help relationships last.