Who am I again? This is something that many people end up asking themselves somewhere along the line in a new relationship. They lose their independence and tip the scales into becoming something their partner wants or needs and lose themselves in the process.

Balance in a new relationship is just as important as balance in the rest of your life. A new relationship is a factor of your life - it is not the only thing that makes up your life, and if you are not aware that balance is needed then you may end up ruining your relationship or ruining your life outside of the relationship.

A new relationship does require some extra attention though. It's not as easy as maintaining a close relationship that you have already been involved in for years. You have to spend more energy on this person getting to know them, deciding whether they are right for you, and learning everything about their life. You also need to share yourself and your life with them. It can be draining on you and easy to lose the balance between the relationship and the rest of your life.

Here are some tips to help you maintain the balance in your life while ensuring a healthy new relationship.

Devote Time to Each Area of Your Life Everyday

Instead of devoting all of your free time to your new relationship only, try to devote a specific amount of time each day to all areas of your life. That can include time for exercise, meditation, learning, work, family, friends or any other area of your life that you find important and makes you feel balanced.

This doesn't have to be broken into 1 hour for each area. It doesn't need to be so rigid. The time spent on each area should be enough time to satisfy you. So if 30 minutes of exercise is all you need per day to feel satisfied then that is just as good as devoting an hour or more.

Don't Skip Out of Important Events for Your New Relationship

As tempting as it may be to avoid Aunt Rhonda's wedding because your new partner will not be invited, don't. The outcome of not going will be far worse for you than the outcome of going.

If you start to avoid important functions then you will start to feel like a black sheep in the family or among friends. This will cause a rift between you and your family and eventually lead to anger or tears from one party or the other. This also applies to work functions and other engagements that require your attendance.

A few hours, days, or even weeks apart from your new relationship will not kill the relationship that is just starting out. You will feel better about yourself and your independence when you stand up for your friends, family, or previous engagements and show them that you care.

Don't Drop Your Routine Completely

In a new relationship your routine is going to change a little. You will start to go to new places and have a new schedule for your weekends than you had before. But if you drop everything out of your old routine then you will start to lose a lot of your favorite things in the process.

So many times we say later in a relationship "I used to love going there!" or "I used to do that every Saturday morning!" and we miss those moments in our lives. That's because when you are single you do what you want to do and love! You don't have to answer to someone else's interests or desires.

Keep some of those things that you love like the coffee at your favorite coffee shop or visiting your mother every Sunday night. You will find that you will feel better about your new relationship and the routines you create in it if you still have some of your old routines in your life.