Sonakshi Sinha opens up about Zaheer's romantic proposal (Photo: Sonakshi Sinha/Instagram)Sonakshi Sinha once opened up about how her actor husband, Zaheer Iqbal, proposed to her under the dreamy Northern Lights in Finland. “Finland is the first place where I saw snow. Finland is where Zaheer proposed to me under the Northern Lights. So, it was very very special. I feel, I have not seen such a spectacle anywhere else. It’s beautiful, stunning, absolutely worth it. I feel that everybody should go there,” Sinha, who married Zaheer in 2024, said.She also attributed her joy to Zaheer’s anchor-like presence in her life. “I always wanted to grow up and be married. All my closest friends got married, and I kept staring. Then finally. I was too happy. I can’t put it in words. Finally, it (the marriage) happened, and with the right person. He is a very genuine person. He is very real, which is what I really appreciate about him. He is very honest. Woh just haan me haan milaane ke liye kuch nahi kahega. (He won’t agree with you for the sake of it). He is brutally honest. He is that transparent. That’s a very rare quality. We are each other’s absolute best friends,” the 38-year-old Dabbang actor added.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Expressing that she is way too dependent on him, even for the smallest of things, which is “not a good idea,” Sonakshi told Instant Bollywood: “I am very dependent on him. I think somewhere you should be a little independent. He has just sorted my life so much that I depend on him too much. For like rubbish things…like calling him and asking which nail colour to wear. That’s very basic. I feel it is better to be slightly more independent. I just refuse to use my brain because I feel so safe and protected when I am with him.”Taking a cue from her candid confession, let’s learn how a life partner can make someone too dependent, and when is a good time to give yourself a reality check.“At first glance, it may sound sweet, playful, even charming. But behind that humour lies a deeper reflection of what many people – especially women—experience in long-term relationships: the slow drift from independence to emotional dependence,” said Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, energy healer and life coach.And it doesn’t happen overnight. “It creeps in, disguised as comfort. It feels like being loved. Until one day, you realise you’re unsure of who you are without them,” said Delnna.Story continues below this adIt brings warmth, intimacy, and trust at first. “But when that reliance turns into needing them to function or decide, to validate every move, or to calm every inner storm, then we’re no longer standing with someone. We’re leaning on them. While leaning may feel safe at first, over time, it can become a cage,” described Delnna.The good news? There’s a sacred middle path. “Not hyper-independence. Not clinging to dependence. But interdependence, a conscious partnership between two whole individuals. In such relationships, you lean on each other, but don’t collapse into one another. You make choices together, but still trust your own. You seek support, but don’t outsource your stability. That’s where love becomes nourishing, not depleting,” Delnna shared.A simple reclaiming practiceIf you find yourself overly dependent, pause and ask:*When was the last time I made a decision just for myself?*Am I afraid of being alone, or do I just not know who I am without them?*Do I feel I’d fall apart if they weren’t here?Also Read | Anita Hassanandani opens up about ‘difficult’ breakup with Eijaz Khan: ‘…because he was from another culture’“Then, start small. Say yes to your voice again. Pick your colours. Make your plans. Meet yourself again. A life partner should never replace your connection to yourself. They should help deepen it. Love is not meant to rescue you. It’s meant to rise with you. The most romantic thing? It is to be fully yourself – with someone who celebrates that,” said Delnna.Story continues below this adDISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.