Relationships Talk

Over the years, you’ve probably often heard the line, “You complete me” (thank you, “Jerry McGuire”). However, Jeffrey Sumber, psychotherapist and author of “Renew Your Wows: Seven Powerful Tools to Ignite the Spark and Transform Your Relationship,” feels there is more to it.

“In spite of popular opinion and what’s said in movies, a partner doesn’t complete us,” he told Business Insider. “Although life with them feels complete, it’s more important to feel complete yourself. Meaning, you feel a sense of peace, a ‘rightness’ to your own life when you’re interacting with them, and feel most like yourself near them.”

Relationship specialist Jen Elmquist, MA, LMFT, and author of “Relationship Reset: Secrets from a Couples Therapist That Will Revolutionize Your Love for a Lifetime,” agrees. “A sign is that your significant other makes you a better version of yourself,” she told Business Insider.

You don’t have to hide anything about yourself from a partner who’s a good match for the long haul, Elmquist said. “They seem to know how to challenge you and accept you at the same time, giving you the courage and inspiration to grow.”