It’s better to fall asleep at eight o’clock on a Saturday night than to stay up until two in the morning, screaming and fighting about a problem that you’ve already screamed and fought about a million times before.

It’s better to come home from work to an empty apartment than to come home and be punished because he had a bad day and decided to take it out on you.

It’s better to have zero notifications on your phone than to get bombarded with messages about what a slut you are and how you better not be talking to any boys other than him.

It’s better to feel lonely when you’re in an empty room than to feel alone when the person you’re supposed to feel the most comfortable around is sitting right next to you.

It’s better to hear your friends tell you that they have the perfect guy to set you up with than to hear them beg you to break up with your boyfriend because they’re scared for your safety.

It’s better to fall asleep in an oversized, empty bed than to sleep with someone who pressures you into doing sexual things when you aren’t even in the mood.

It’s better to have no boys to tell your mother about than to have to justify your boyfriend’s behavior to her every time you two get into another fight and you call her up crying.

It’s better to have no one to flirt with over the phone than to be tempted to check his phone every time he leaves it behind, because you’re worried that he’s been talking to other girls behind your back.

It’s better to wonder why you can’t find anyone good enough to date than to wonder why the person who is supposed to love you more than life itself has been neglecting you.

It’s better to stay single than to date someone toxic, because you deserve so much more than petty arguments and halfhearted apologies.

It’s better to wait years for someone loyal to come along than to keep dating someone you can’t trust.

It’s better to have the freedom to wear what you want and drink what you than to let a boy believe that he’s the boss of you and gets to control your every action.

It’s better to spend time with your family, your friends, and all of the people who truly love you than to spend time with someone who only wants you when it’s convenient for him, someone who sees you as an object and not an equal.

It’s better to be hopeful that you’ll find someone special to date in the future than to hope that the person you’re already with will magically change — because they won’t. They will always treat you this way. They will never see your value.

It’s better to stay single than to be in a relationship with someone toxic, because you are worth more than they can ever give you.

Holly Riordan is the author of
Severe(d), A Creepy Poetry Collection.
Pre-order your copy here.