Maintain your individuality in a relationship. Allow someone to share your life but never allow that person to become your life. Despite your best efforts a relationship may fail to work out. If that person who is your life walks away what will you have left?  It is much harder for someone who considers the other person to be his or her life to bounce back after a breakup. In fact some individuals have been known to commit suicide because they accept the breakup to mean tht their life is over. Breakups are hard but by maintaining your individuality you will find it easier to cope.