All the things you should be able to share in a relationship

Relationships are great for so many reasons, one of them being that you get exposed to someone else’s world — their views on life, the people they care about, their favorite things – and you get to share your world with them.  It’s wonderful, but if you’re not someone who opens up easily, it can be hard to share our secrets and our personal space.  You don’t have to be a totally open book, but here are seven things you should probably share in a relationship: 1.  Meals It is my personal belief that one of the greatest benefits to being in a relationship is getting to try twice the number of things every time you go out to eat.  If you are dating me, you will be sharing your food. This is nonnegotiable. 2.  Your hopes and dreams I don’t necessarily mean that you have to have exactly the same hopes and dreams as your partner, but you should at least be telling them what yours are, and vice versa.  Ideally, even if your views aren’t identical, they’ll align in a way that lets you help each other work toward your goals.  If, on the other hand, you find out their greatest dream is to move to Fiji and take up a career in underwater basket weaving and you can’t stand the ocean, it’s best to know that early on so you can make an educated decision about where your relationship is going. 3.  DVR space I’m almost as serious about TV watching as I am about eating, but I’ve noticed most guys tend not to be that serious about needing to see this week’s episode of The Mindy Project.  Similarly, I still don’t get the big deal about The Walking Dead, but on the other hand, I didn’t see the allure of Archer until a boyfriend introduced me to it.  Split your TV time and you might discover some new shows to add to your rotation, and even if you get stuck occasionally watching something you hate, you’re at least doing it with someone you love. 4.  Common values Some people will say you need to have interests or hobbies in common with your partner in order to find common ground, but I think the only thing you really need to share is the same core values.  If you both have similar beliefs and motivations, I think that’s what really matters. 5.  Planning responsibilities Part of the fun of dating is getting to let someone else take the reins and plan a fantastic date where you’re just along for the ride, whether it’s to some hole in the wall restaurant you’ve never heard of or a big night on the town.  It’s also fun to plan these events, but it becomes much less fun if you’re the one picking a restaurant every single time. 6.  Friends I absolutely believe that everyone is entitled to a boys’/girls’ night when they want one, but I also think that relationships are more fun when you both get along with each other’s friends.  You want the people you care about to like the person you’re dating, and vice versa.  It’s doubling your whole social circle and all you had to do was meet one person! 7.  A Toothbrush Yeah, I’m one of those people who thinks this isn’t gross.  Let’s be real, you’re regularly swapping spit anyway, so does it actually matter if you’re using the other person’s toothbrush?  I’m not saying you only ever need to own one toothbrush between the two of you, but on the occasion that someone forgets theirs, sharing is really not that big a deal. Image via