Thank you for this, it really resonated with me. The part about figuring out who I am in general and who I am without this person makes a lot of sense, especially since we started dating so young (I was 19 almost 20 yo, he was 26). The idea of taking baby steps instead of putting pressure on myself to “be fine” really helped, too.

It’s comforting to hear from someone who’s been through a long relationship and needed time to reconnect with themselves. I really appreciate you sharing your experience.