You shouldn’t have to wait around for someone to start treating you with respect.
You shouldn’t stick around because tomorrow they might change, tomorrow they might realize how good they have it with you, tomorrow they might rise to your expectations, tomorrow they might finally start giving you as much as they’ve been getting from you.
Making excuses for your person can get you in trouble. It can lead you into dangerous territory. You cannot excuse bad behavior by thinking about all of the ways your person might do better tomorrow. You have to take a look at how they’ve been treating you today, how they’ve been making you feel today, whether they’ve been respecting you today, whether you’re okay with their behavior from today continuing until tomorrow and the next day and the day after that.
Sure, there is always a possibility your person could change if you stick around long enough and keep giving them more chances — but wouldn’t you rather be with someone who treats you well from the start? Someone you don’t have to teach to be nice to you? Don’t you want someone who instinctively gives you respect, who would never dream of hurting you, who values your thoughts and opinions from day one?
You should stop waiting for immature hearts to grow. You should stop feeling like it’s your responsibility to convince someone to treat you well. You shouldn’t have to convince them you have value. You shouldn’t have to convince them you’re worthy of being loved. These things should happen naturally. You shouldn’t have to fight this hard for their affection.
If the person you want isn’t ready to date right now, you shouldn’t wait for them. You shouldn’t assume that they are going to come to their senses soon and ask you to be their partner. You shouldn’t continue pouring all of your effort into them in the hopes that they are going to wake up one day and realize they’re finally ready to start treating you right, to put a label on your relationship, to make up for lost time.
If they are telling you they aren’t ready to date right now, it’s tempting to sit around and wait until they are ready, but you should live your life instead. Maybe your paths will meet again and you will end up a couple, but maybe they won’t cross. Maybe you won’t end up together. And maybe that is okay.
Even though you might believe this person is the one for you, you shouldn’t waste your life waiting around for them. They shouldn’t get to determine your relationship timeline. They shouldn’t get to leave you hanging while they run around having fun with other hearts.
You should stop settling for people who aren’t giving you the respect you deserve, simply because you see their potential, because you believe one day they’re going to do better. Maybe their hearts will mature someday soon. But maybe, right now, your heart is too mature to make room for them. 
