Milestones To Celebrate Depending On Your Relationship Status
Life is full of milestones: whether you're achieving personal goals, moving in with a partner for the first time, or narrowing down your friend group to cut out the toxic people in your life.
With so much happening on a daily basis, it's easy to skim over some major life events or downplay your accomplishments, so it's important to look back and celebrate the moments or milestones that are significant.
Moving Into Your First Apartment Alone
In college, you might've lived with two or three (or more) other people, so moving into your first real apartment on your own or even with one other person (rent is expensive, we get it) is worth celebrating.
Continuing Your Education
You might be graduating from undergrad or making the decision to go back to school to earn a certificate after working for a couple of years. Whatever the reasoning, higher education and continuing to learn is something to be proud of.
Paying Off Your Student Loans
Even if it takes you years to reach this milestone, paying off your student loans or chipping away large chunks of debt should always be celebrated—just don't celebrate in a way that will rack up your debt even more.
Adopting A Pet
Maybe you had a mom who was deathly allergic to dogs so you could never have one, or you might've had a dad who wouldn't allow cats in the house because he thought they were gross. Now you're an adult and you can be responsible for taking care of another living thing yourself!
Getting Engaged Or Getting Married
Making a commitment, especially a legally binding one, is a big deal and is a milestone many people envision for years of their life. You dream of getting engaged, but the second you do, you move on to planning the wedding, then the wedding happens and now you focus on being newlyweds. Remember to enjoy the steps along the way, too.
Getting A Promotion Or A New Job
Not every milestone you celebrate needs to be something based on another person or based on a big event like getting married or having children. Celebrate yourself and your own accomplishments above anything else, like getting a new promotion.
Grieving Together
A death isn't something anyone wants to experience, but in the tough times that follow after someone in your family or someone you were friends with passes, you'll likely turn to your partner for support because you trust that they'll be there for you.
Your First Solo Trip
Traveling solo, especially if you're a woman, is an exercise in independence and is something to feel proud about. Spending extended time alone with yourself is how you can grow as a person, and it will lead to developing your relationships with others around you.
Building Your First Home Together
We're not saying it has to be a certain kind of "home," because that's going to be different for every couple, but moving in with your partner, buying your first house together, furnishing your apartment together, they're all worth feeling proud of.
Achieving A Health Or Fitness Goal
You don't need to be running the New York City Marathon or competing in an Iron Man competition to feel proud of yourself. Learning to eat properly or developing a solid fitness routine that works for your body is just as important.
The First Major Fight
You might not consider having a blowout fight with your girlfriend or getting into an argument with your best friend as something to celebrate, but it's all a part of building your relationship with a person.
...And The First Time You Forgive Afterwards
This is the part that's worth celebrating after you get into an argument with someone. If you're able to communicate with each other, figure out what the issue was, and move past it, then you should feel happy about that.
Being Able To Spend Time Alone
When you were younger, the thought of going to a restaurant alone or taking yourself to the movies probably seemed unfathomable, but if you have learned to be comfortable with yourself, all by yourself? Yeah, you should feel good about that.
Meeting The Parents
Everyone knows the significance of meeting your girlfriend's parents or introducing your boyfriend to your dad for the first time, but it's still not always celebrated as it should be. You're taking steps forward together and you see a future together, be happy about it.
Properly Saving His Name In Your Phone
In the world of dating apps, changing someone's name in your phone from "Tyler from Tinder" or just an unsaved number to their actual name is a big deal. You plan on keeping them around for a little longer, at least.
Posting Your First Photo Together On Social Media
Everyone knows that making your relationship social media official is a milestone in the digital age of dating, and you don't have to feel guilty or silly about being excited to show off your new partner.
Finding The People Who Accept Your Flaws
This one includes yourself as much as it includes your friends or your partner. You'll come to a point in your life where you've surrounded yourself with people who accept you for exactly who you are, and that's not something to be skated over.
Taking Your First Trip Together
Beyond traveling alone, taking your first trip as a couple or with a group of friends is a major milestone as well. Everyone is taken outside of their comfort zones and into new surroundings, so you'll have to be involved in the planning and the problem-solving.
The First Time You Need Their Support
It might be as simple as a problem with a coworker that you need to talk through, or maybe you need to discuss your deep-seated childhood trauma. The first time you share your concern or your burden with a partner or a close friend and feel supported is a big deal.
Buying A Car
It doesn't matter if you're buying a brand new car fresh off the lot, or if you're buying your mom's 10-year-old Toyota off of her because she chose to upgrade. Purchasing a car and saying goodbye to public transportation is exciting!
