Does your partner make life better?

I feel like everyone I've been with added stress to my life. It's always been more work, the affection and effort dwindle after awhile. I end up depleted yet still expected to carry all the weight and feeling alone.

Do relationships exist where two people put in the effort to keep the spark lit? Do couples help each other and take the pressure off? Has your partner improved your life?

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TinyViolins · 31-35, M

Not really. The truth is I'm independent by nature and don't really need anybody to make my life enjoyable. I do enjoy her company, on her good days at least, but I'm also perfectly fine without it.

We do try little things here and there to keep the spark lit and those moments are nice. Going out on little dates or having movie nights together are really nice treats I couldn't really enjoy as much alone.

I wouldn't say she takes the pressure off or improve my life that much since I put in way more effort than she does. Her anxiety kinda leaves her swimming in her own head most of the time, so I take on more responsibility. My life would probably be easier with someone who puts in more work, but I've always been a workhorse everywhere I've been, so I just do what needs to get done.

If anything, it's helped my confidence knowing someone finds me desirable. She tells me all the time how beautiful I am inside and out, and those words hold a lot of significance towards compensating for the years of feeling completely invisible.

Even if we don't work out in the long run, the feeling of knowing I can mean something special to someone is validating