Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of a relationship is the changing of behavior which is suited to only the individual and not the couple. Many people have little desire to change the style in which they live in order to accommodate a new person and in some cases have great difficulty adapting to any compromise at all.
  Making an effort to appreciate and taking the time to be considerate of one’s partner are obvious changes a single person must make when entering into a relationship. Focusing on the sharing of actual space and time can be more difficult to pinpoint as a source of anxiety in a relationship, because one often takes the smaller issues, however many, for granted.

Part One: From "Myspace" to "Ourspace":

    Decorating: Whether a person is moving into another’s residence, or the couple seeks out a new location to begin their life in; all people need to have space in their home that is comfortable. Many disagreements take place on the subject of décor alone, especially when one person has a more dominant presence in the relationship. It is typical that women, (or the more feminine partner of the couple,) tend to take charge of the majority of decoration; which for many couples works well until the alternate partner feels as though no spot in their home reflects their personality. Without a comfortable home, or place in the home, many people tend to become agitated and seek to separate themselves from their partner by staying out late or avoiding the home in general. It is wise to always consider one’s partner, even if one finds their taste to be disagreeable, when creating a living environment. When a home becomes overwhelmingly one sided in its’ décor it can reflect an enormous lack of communication and understanding in the relationship, which can lead to many other difficulties.

   Respecting Privacy: Even during the most romantic and enjoyable periods of a relationship couples will often find that they each need a little time to themselves. Respecting each other’s privacy and need for this personal time is an essential component in a relationship and the lack of either can present many problems. Wishing to have one’s privacy does not mean that one wishes to be secretive or to keep hidden certain aspects of one’s life; often it allows both individuals to retain the personality traits and mental introspection that indeed helps to create a healthy line of new communication between the two people.

  Visitors and Friends: In an ideal situation neither partner would befriend an individual that the other partner found objectionable; however, often friendships that were founded before the relationship began can be difficult to maintain during its’ coarse when those friends have been previously accustom to having a single friend; likewise the partner in the relationship built a friendship(s) as a single person and may also find the transition difficult to navigate. When referring to shared space it is incredibly important to consider one’s partner. Those people that might previously have encouraged friends to drop in unannounced may find that with addition of a partner this behavior is unacceptable. Problems caused when one partner keeps a friend that the other partner particularly dislikes can also be a great source of stress when that friend is invited into the home the couple shares.
  One of the most famous clichés of today’s society, when referring to the average couple, is that the male must ask the female’s permission to invite friends into their home; in turn, it is a common complaint amongst males that they feel suffocated by this demand and tend to idealize a single life in which no permission need be granted. Personally, I find this to be a ridiculous power struggle in which the male is made to look like a child and the female a controlling shrew. When one shares a home with their partner is it polite to ask if their partner might have any objections to a visitor, not because permission need be given, but simply because it is polite to consider the plans of a person one lives with. If the visitor should be one that is greatly disliked by a member of the couple, discussing the reasons for this dislike together and without hostility can be of great assistance. Perhaps in extreme cases a particular friend should not be invited into the home and should be visited elsewhere if the individual and the objecting partner are very uncomfortable with each other, but this is often an extreme case that can be brought to a more reasonable conclusion if discussed rationally.

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