Why is space so crucial in a relationship?

How Space Enhances Emotional and Personal Growth

Working On the Marriage | June 5, 2017 | Raksha Bharadia , Founder, Author & Editor
Updated On: February 21, 2025

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Relationships are a delicate dance of love, compromise, and understanding. However, one recurring challenge couples face is navigating conflicting viewpoints, where persistence often meets resistance. Whether it’s about trivial choices like weekend plans or significant decisions about finances or parenting, opposing perspectives are inevitable. The wise lady celebrating her 50th anniversary reminds us of a vital truth: sometimes, the harder you persist, the stronger the resistance. The solution lies not in pushing harder but in stepping back and giving space—not just to your partner, but also to yourself.

The Power of Space in Strengthening Relationships

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When you persist they resist, when you resist they persist…

One challenge that perhaps all couples identify with is being on opposing ends of a point of view. It could range from trivia to fundamental, from dressing-up styles and where to eat-out on Sunday afternoons to how to discipline children or how much to spend on what. Couples constantly negotiate for a working balance, giving-in on one front, claiming ground on another; the power balance continually shifts, the individual’s take-away can be less or more, but the family’s larger interests are rarely compromised. The domestic machinery chugs along, years turn into decades and somewhere between the 25^th and 50^th anniversary couples begin to see back and are confident enough to laugh on and share about how two such different people as they did last to create all that they did. It was during one such celebration that the anniversary lady shared her story in front of a close crowd of family and friends. She was celebrating her 50^th anniversary.

Related reading: Best wedding stories – collection of romantic stories

‘If I have to give you newly weds a mantra, (which for her was any of us married for a year to 40!) it would be this understanding, ‘when you persist, he will resist, and vice-versa where he persists, you will resist.’ When two people in coupledom find themselves at contradictory stands, their first response is to be further polarized. In order to get the other to agree to their viewpoint they unwittingly inflate the merits of their stance and de-merit the other’s. And in the same wave they minimize the negatives of their perspective and undervalue the other’s positives. Once they have repeated it enough, it becomes their truth. The other does the same. He not only resists the exaggeration with an exaggerated force but in turn overstates the value of his own, while devaluing the other’s standpoint. And thus for the two, the more they persist, the more they resist! Constantly, equally, with an escalating force…

couple maintaining space within — The space matters

‘What if they were to pause for a moment and ask, ‘do they believe in their own hyperbole? Is it really their truth? Or perhaps they have come so far with it, that it has to be?

‘That is all that is needed. One question. ‘What if in trying to make my point I have distorted my own truth?’

The wise lady continued. ‘You know our brain is tricky in that sense. The more you say a certain thing, the more you will believe in it. The brain will carve out inroads in that very direction. The unfortunate thing is you may make something small actually big in your head and let it stay that way’.

What do you do? I asked.

“Being in a relationship doesn’t mean losing yourself—it means growing together while staying whole as individuals.”

‘Stop persisting. Take a step back. Let the issue resume its original proportion. Get an understanding of your own sense regarding it, without the pressure of the need to have your partner conform to your point of view. For just a while, stop the acceleration…give space, take space.

I thought of a quote by Nietzsche, ‘The weight of every burden must be reviewed afresh’.

FAQs

1. Why is space important in a relationship?

Space allows individuals to maintain their individuality, reflect on their emotions, and avoid feeling overwhelmed. It fosters personal growth, which ultimately benefits the relationship More Than Friends With Benefits But Not A Relationship.

2. Can too much space harm a relationship?

Yes, excessive space can create emotional distance and feelings of neglect. Striking a balance between togetherness and individuality is essential.

3. How do you communicate the need for space without offending your partner?

Express your need respectfully and reassure your partner that it’s about self-care and not a lack of love or interest in the relationship.

Final Thoughts

Space in a relationship is not about creating distance but about nurturing individuality and emotional well-being. When handled with care and understanding, giving each other space can lead to a stronger, healthier bond. It’s a way to recharge and bring the best version of yourself to the partnership. Our expert counselors can guide you in navigating this delicate dynamic to foster a healthier connection.

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