If there’s one thing that I don’t know much about, it’s the idea of being “Unapologetically You” in a partnership of two.
And yet, it’s a question that I hear time and time again from readers:
“How do you stay unapologetically ‘true to self’ when you’re in a relationship?”
We don’t live our lives in convenient little bubbles. What we do and how we do it have real repercussions upon those around us. It’s one thing to be “Unapologetically You” when you’re a single person who has the freedom and flexibility to do your own thing–it’s another to be “Unapologetically You” when there’s a partner, husband, wife, or significant other who’s affected.
As we change, so do our relationships with others. Even though we know that change is a constant in life, a continual fear that many of us have centers on the repercussions of staying true to self–if it means that we’ll grow apart from those whom we love so dearly.
This can feel utterly terrifying for those of us who are in long-term relationships and partnerships, whether in marriage or even in a “non-romantic” long-term commitment like a career.
How do we become “Unapologetically ourselves” in a partnership of two?
Clearly, we need to call in some experts to speak to this topic.
Lucky for you, my path just recently crossed with a pair of globe-trotting authors who describe themselves as “a recovering, 40-something, Type-A couple.” Their names are Warren and Betsy Talbot.
A few years ago, Warren and Betsy realized that they were in love with each other, but not in love with the lives they were living. They were living “large,” but not living “well.” They suddenly found themselves on the brink of divorce. In the face of the sudden passing of a family member and a friend, Warren and Betsy felt compelled to ask themselves a difficult question:
If they were not going to live past the age of 40, how would they live their lives together, starting today?
They embarked upon a new adventure: to travel the world.
But Warren and Betsy’s story is not all about travel and adventure.
It’s about being in a steadfast partnership where the individuality of both members thrives, flourishes, evolves and changes–and the couple is all the better for it.
Unapologetically You in a Partnership of Two featuring Warren and Betsy Talbot
THE UNAPOLOGETIC LIFE PODCAST: CLICK TO LISTEN
More than three and a half years after the journey began on October 1, 2010, Warren and Betsy were kind enough to join me on the debut episode of my podcast The Unapologetic Life to discuss their unique story, their new book Married with Luggage: What We Learned about Love by Traveling the World, and to answer some questions for you about what it means to be Unapologetically You in a partnership of two.
The Talbots dive into the tough topic of remaining true to self and they share the experiences they have gained that have allowed them to travel the world together as unapologetic individuals.
- How have they done it?
- What are the struggles?
And yet, the advice that Warren and Betsy share–and what you’ll also find in their great book, Married with Luggage–includes an equal amount of advice for those who aren’t globe-trotting the world with husband or wife.
The stories of their experience speak to how to live well in a partnership, and just how much of a healthy relationship dawns from unwavering compassion, depths of understanding, deep listening, smart communication and honoring the natural evolutions of self.
Discuss your biggest takeaways from this episode of The Unapologetic Life in our free community, The U Crew.
What piece of advice from Warren and Betsy struck you most?
Have you ever had a similar experience in a longterm relationship?
What’s the scariest part of remaining “true to self” in your relationship or partnership?
Join our 80-strong community, The U Crew, to discuss these ideas and more.
The U Crew is a free community offering from DaveUrsillo.com where everyday-explorers of life can meet one another, openly converse in a supportive space, share inspirational quotes and discuss the ever-important ideas of being Unapologetically You in practice, every day.
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P.S. – Speaking of travel, I will soon be leading workshops in Amsterdam, Brussels and Berlin this month! Find details on my Unapologetically E.U. Tour here — and, please help me out by sharing this link with any friends or family you have in those cities who want to learn how to use self-expression to self-explore and help serve others. Thank you!