Does your partner need to be your best friend?

I do not think that your partner has to be also your best friend.

• In theory, you don’t even have to be friends with your partner.
  • For example, you can respect your co-worker without liking them, which isn’t to say you dislike them either.
  • Partner just means someone who you can work together with. That might be raising children together, creative projects, house management, etc.
• “Has to be” is the operative phrase, you can desire that if you want, but you should understand why that might not be the best idea.

One person should not be your everything.

• Having one person as your entire support system puts a lot of pressure onto one person.

There is a practical aspect to having different people for different things.

• What if you and your partner fight or have a disagreement? Who are you to get advice from then? Are you only ever reaching out to your friends if something is going wrong with your partner?
• You should want to have multiple perspectives and specializations across your support system.