Run Toward Love, Not Away From It

Stop running away from your feelings. Stop acting like your heart is made of ice. Stop acting like you don’t care about anyone other than yourself. Stop acting like you’re happier on your own because you hate dealing with people. Stop acting like you’re too independent for a relationship. Stop acting like being a part of a couple would only slow you down. Stop pretending you don’t want anyone to get too close to you, when deep down, you would love to find someone who understands you, who supports you, who reminds you of your beauty whenever you forget.

Stop running away from your most authentic self. Stop assuming you have to act like someone you’re not in order to seem mysterious enough, fun enough, attractive enough. The real you is better than any mask you place over yourself. The real you is going to find love. This imitation you’ve been walking around as is only going to lead to false loves. It’s only going to attract the wrong people. They’re going to see the real you eventually. You might as well show them everything — your strengths and your flaws — upfront. You might as well show them what makes you you, because that’s what makes you the most beautiful.

Stop running away from your past. Stop acting like you don’t have any baggage. Stop pretending you’re completely fine with the heartaches you’ve endured in the past when you’ve never really gotten closure. Allow yourself to feel the heartache and the anger and the pain. Allow yourself to process what you’ve gone through and grow from it. Allow yourself to say yes, I’ve been hurt in the past, but that doesn’t mean the same thing is going to happen in the future. Deal with your demons before they become a permanent part of you. Don’t let them stick around for too long. Don’t let them weigh you down.

Stop running away from what could be. Stop ignoring texts from the person you cannot stop thinking about because you’re scared of getting hurt by them. Stop coming up with excuses to cancel dates and excuses to get into arguments because you would rather push the right person away than give the wrong person a chance to break your heart. Stop assuming you’re protecting yourself by acting standoffish. Stop trying to continue down your path alone when there are people out there who will help you grow brighter, stronger, happier.

Stop running away from love and run toward love. Run toward opportunity. Run toward risk. Run toward a future that excites you. Don’t lower your standards. Don’t force yourself into a relationship. But when you meet someone you cannot stop thinking about, put yourself out there for a change. See what it’s like to express your emotions instead of bottling them up inside. See what it’s like to act on your feelings instead of convincing yourself you’re better off by yourself. See what it’s like to take a chance on yourself, on a relationship, on love.