Love and intimacy are almost never smooth journeys. We are often fed the fairy-tale portrayals of ‘happily ever after,’ leaving us unprepared for the thorny truths that come with long-term relationships. From the shifting aspects of passion to the challenge of maintaining identity amidst unity, sharing a life together is as tricky as it is rewarding.
Love Isn’t Enough
“I say the key to every healthy relationship is love, trust, and honesty. If you lose one, the other two are strong enough, but one [alone] never will be. 99% of the time, [if] love is all that is left, it’s not enough.”
“Most people stay in bad relationships or with incompatible people because they think love is enough. It’s not.”
Fairytales Are Garbage
And relationships won’t “save you.”
“All relationships that don’t end in marriage are just experiences. Learn from them.”
They Are Hard, No Matter What
“That no matter how much love, respect, kindness, commitment, and chemistry there is, relationships are hard. It takes immense effort from all parties to keep a healthy relationship flourishing for the long term. It’s worth it, but it’s definitely hard work.”
You Don’t Need One
“They are not a necessity. It will not kill you to be single.”
“I feel like this is something a lot of people need to realize before looking for someone to be in a relationship with.”
Being Single Can Aid Future Relationships
“I strongly believe that no one should actually date unless they can be happily single. When you’re single, you’re basically dating yourself, lol. And if you don’t take care of yourself, you will be a bad partner.”
Sometimes They Don’t Work Out
“Just because a relationship ends, [it] doesn’t mean it wasn’t a successful relationship. Some things just run their course.”
“My friend said something similar when she was going through a rough patch with her partner: ‘Just because it didn’t last till one of us died, doesn’t mean that I didn’t have a great marriage for 20 years with a wonderful man.’”
There’s No Such Thing As 50/50
“There’s no such thing as a 50/50 relationship. Sometimes it’s 55/45, sometimes it’s 90/10, sometimes it’s 60/40. Very very rarely is it 50/50, and even on those rare occasions, it’s not sustainable.”
“There’s always one person that cares more, but it’s the person that cares less that has all of the power.”
Putting Your Relationship As Top Priority is Foolish
“That prioritizing romantic relationships over all others is a recipe for disappointment. Make friends, love your family, and care for a pet. Romance isn’t the only or even biggest goal.”
It Won’t Fix You
“This. Each person in the relationship must be good with themselves and not look to their partner for constant validation.”
There Will Be Bad Times
“There are days when the love is strong and others when the love is very weak. And it’s your choice and responsibility to maintain healthy decision-making as well as your partner’s in the weaker times.”
Comfort Often Equals Codependency
Most relationships end up as not love or like but codependency. Until or if you ever find somebody that brings out the best in you and you in them, you will likely find yourself in an unhealthy albeit comfortable routine of seeking comfort, validation, and intimacy from someone who is just looking for those things from anyone too.”
There is No Key To Success
“Every relationship is individual to the people involved. Success and failure depend on everyone involved. If your relationship isn’t working for you or fulfilling for you, it’s your responsibility to communicate about that and decide whether or not it is the right relationship for you.”
Full Presence is Crucial
“They can be physically there without being there emotionally or mentally. Don’t be fooled that this physical presence equates to them loving you. You deserve more than weighing up your life by telling yourself the fact that they stay means you should be grateful. You deserve a full person, not just a shutdown showpiece.”
Abuse Isn’t Immediate
“Abusive relationships aren’t abusive from the start. More often than not, it’s gradual.”
There’s No Such Thing As Relationship Failure
“People leave, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Break-ups and divorce are not a sign of failure. It’s a sign of moving on.”
Love Shouldn’t Be Unconditional
“Many people want unconditional love because it means they don’t have to keep trying. Love should have some conditions. Don’t martyr yourself for someone who doesn’t deserve it in the name of unconditional love.”
The Honeymoon Period Will Pass
“Once the honeymoon phase is over, it’s about how much you want to put into the relationship.”
Sometimes You Can Do Everything Right…
“You can both do nothing wrong, and it can still end in a disaster.”
“You cannot stop a person from walking away if they choose not to stay… even if you did everything right.”
It’s Better To Be Happy Single…
…Than unhappy in a relationship.
“It’s better to focus on improving yourself when you’re single.”
Many Relationships Are Transactional
“Most relationships are people using each other for intimacy, emotional support, money, or just trying to fill their lonely void. Whatever it is, it’s selfish in nature.”
“All relationships are transactional to some degree.”
There is No Such Thing as a Perfect Partner
“You will spend your entire life hunting for the perfect person. And then once you find them, you will realize that you yourself still have some work to do.”
THE HIDDEN DESIRES OF MEN: 10 THINGS MEN SECRETLY CRAVE IN A WIFE BUT DON’T HAVE THE COURAGE TO ADMIT
You may think that men only want two things from a wife, food and some fun in the bedroom. However, males are more complex than that. Here are ten things men want from their wives that will enhance the relationship.
STUCK IN THE 60S: 10 THINGS BABY BOOMERS REFUSE TO LET GO OF
Memories of the “good old days” keep us trapped in the past. Baby boomers love to retell tales of how it was “in my day.” At the same time, millennials will tell them to get with the times. Being stuck in a time warp from which they don’t want to snap out of, here are things that baby boomers still think are fantastic.
STUCK IN THE 60S: 10 THINGS BABY BOOMERS REFUSE TO LET GO OF
10 THINGS MEN DESIRE THAT WILL MAKE WOMEN RAISE THEIR EYEBROWS
You may think that, finally, you have your man figured out. How wrong you were. Here are 10 things men love that you may find surprising, according to an online forum.
10 THINGS MEN DESIRE THAT WILL MAKE WOMEN RAISE THEIR EYEBROWS
THE RED FLAGS ARE WAVING: 18 HOBBIES THAT WILL SCARE AWAY ANY POTENTIAL PARTNER
We wanted to know what hobbies are a big fat nope.
THE RED FLAGS ARE WAVING: 18 HOBBIES THAT WILL SCARE AWAY ANY POTENTIAL PARTNER
WAKE UP, LADIES! THE 10 BITTER TRUTHS MEN WISH WOMEN WOULD FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE
Regarding men and women, it seems like we’re from different planets, though we are the same species. Women always come across as enigmatic, a mystery men must fathom. Yet, men can be just as challenging to understand. Here are ten things that men wish women knew about them. Hopefully, this helps females gain deeper insight into the world of men.
WAKE UP, LADIES! THE 10 BITTER TRUTHS MEN WISH WOMEN WOULD FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE