If partners aren't willing to find common ground and meet somewhere in the middle, the road ahead will surely be a bumpy one.
As I noted in a recent post, selfishness has no place in a relationship. Once you become seriously involved with someone, the carefree days of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, are over. That's why you should never enter into a relationship unless you're willing to part with some of the freedoms you enjoyed when you were single.
Being in a relationship means not always getting what you want. It means that you won't always get your way. It means the feelings and views of your partner need to be taken into account before certain decisions are made.
Once you're in a relationship, it's no longer about "I," but "us." You and your partner are a team, and the two of you have to make choices that may not benefit you or him/her in the short-run, but will enhance the relationship in the long-run.
Make no mistake about it: Relationships need work. Things always go swimmingly during the honeymoon stage, but once that's over and done with, relationships -- much like ACs and cars -- require regular "maintenance" to work properly.
Always putting yourself first is your prerogative, but be warned that if you bring that mentality into a relationship, its days will already be numbered.
Relationships are about give and take. Neither partner should find themselves catering to the other's every whim. Both should have a voice. Both should have a say in matters big and small.
Those open to compromise plant the seeds for a fruitful relationship. If longevity is something you yearn for in a relationship, being amenable to compromise should be a no brainer.
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