Guest Author - Love Coach Linnea Sheldon

We all need our space, and this is really true once we become involved in a relationship. As an outsider looking in on other's relationships it is easy to see when space is needed. For example, it's easy to criticize your friend who disappears for weeks on end only to contact you if her boyfriend is on a business trip, or breaks up with her, etc. But why is it so hard to see ourselves behaving this way. There are some warning signs to look for when you are not giving yourself or your partner enough space.

The first warning sign is your friends stop calling. If your friends all of a sudden stop calling chances are it is because you are not making an effort to show them that you value their friendship. If you drop them every time the latest guy walks into your life, only to reappear when something bad happens, they will stop working on the friendship.

Another sign is if you can't remember the last time you spent your free time away from each other. It's great that the two of you are comfortable staying in on a Friday night, or he is happy to hang out with your friends and vice versa, but sometimes you need do things on your own.

If you have stopped doing a hobby that you once loved because you don't have time anymore, this is another warning sign that you need to take some time apart. Maybe you were a quilter, or you went to kickboxing every Tuesday, or maybe you always spent your Saturday afternoons window-shopping. No matter what it was, if you find yourself giving up on all of the things that made you you there is a problem.

If friends and family are calling all the time to complain that they never seen you anymore, this is also an indication that you are not getting away as much as you should be. Your grand-mother may have always complained that you don't see her enough, but if your once a week visits have slowed to once a month you may need to re-evaluate how much quality time you are spending with your significant other.

No matter how busy you are you should never have to give up all your free time to be with your partner. It is important to have your own life and to continue doing things you enjoy and spending time with the people that care about you. This will not only make you happier and healthier, but it will also help your relationship stay strong and healthy as well. Not to mention having a life of your own will be very attractive, and all that time apart will really heat things up when the two of you are together.