The Cost of Shrinking Yourself in a Relationship: Compromise vs. Self-Ambandonment

And this topic is something that I wanted to wait a while before I really spoke about it, particularly on my podcast platform.

And At whatever point this is being published, it means that I feel ready to finally speak more about it and to share some insights and just my overall personal experience around relationships and in particular a previous relationship And I will kind of preface that the main reason why I talk about these personal experiences is kind of for two reasons.

Number one, because when I have heard from others and their personal experiences, it has always helped me feel a little more sane, a little bit more understood, more normal, and also...

I think it's such a reminder that this is part of the human experience and it is okay.

And like many of us, we find ways to navigate it and just go through life, you know? And for me personally, I would say that I grew up with a lot of Western cultural values, but my parents in particular...

my mom, she has still a lot of Vietnamese cultural values.

And part of that, to my understanding, is often more about saving face and not being as vulnerable and as open and candid as I am on this podcast.

And through observing that, I realized that by withholding the things that you've experienced, the good and the bad, You also prevent yourself from gaining really deep connection and meaningful conversations with other people.

And so that is why I am finally chatting more about a recent relationship experience on today's episode.

And my hope is that in sharing little bits of this personal experience, if you're listening, this can bring some sort of understanding to you or a feeling of being understood or just hearing like someone else also experiencing some of the things.

I hope in some shape or form it just... makes you feel better in in some way but for those of you who didn't know because I also am not always that public about my relationships and you know who I'm dating how long I'm dating whatever I was previously in a relationship for just a little over two years and And it's been some time now since that relationship ended, hence why I'm feeling more comfortable to talk about it now, to kind of just like slowly unravel things that I think are relevant to you guys listening.