Think about the things that you thought were important back then.
For me, I thought it was so cool that he could skateboard and play the guitar.
What other qualities could a girl need for the rest of eternity, right?
Pixabay
Truthfully, 12-year-old me didnt know anything about what would actually be important years later.
Now, think about that same person.
Could you actually see yourself building a forever with them?
We tend to idealize someone new and exciting while ignoring the big picture.
Its easy to feel caught between identifying a red flag and just trying to be open-minded about new people.
The danger is that we can easily skim over the red flags and put those on a back burner.
We make it a problem for our future selves rather than dealing with reality right away.
Just because you dont want to see the warning signs does not mean that they will go away.
In fact, the early stages of relationships are where someone puts on their best face.
So why do we do it?
We do this because humans are exceptionally gifted at self-sabotage.
Weknowwhen something is not right.
We feel it when the vibes are off.
We just choose to ignore it sometimes because temporary pleasure feels better than planning ahead.
Everything about love feels great at the beginning.
Honestly, though, love takes a hell of a lot of work.
You could get stuck with someone who mistreats you and holds you back from living your best life.
Those red flags will not magically turn into green ones.
The way they mistreat you will not get better with time.
The first signs of abuse, disloyalty or irresponsibility will not just go away.
Your instincts got pinged for a reason and you have to trust yourself enough to listen.
You owe it to yourself to store your heart for healthy, passionate connections.
Stop selling yourself short and allowing people to trample into your life with their bad intentions.
You are worth more than a relationship that brings you down and kills your spirit.
When someone shows you who they are, dont attempt to change the narrative.
Believe the red flags and decide what you want for yourself.
Dont let anyone stick around that will just become a problem for your future self to sort out.
