Holly Riordan

You should create a life that makes you happy. Not just your love life. Your entire life. 

Love isn’t always about butterflies and skipped heartbeats. It isn’t always about feeling nervous and sweaty and desperate to impress.

You will start to doubt everything you know is true because a toxic person will do their best to brainwash you into seeing the world from their point of view. Their goal is to make you trust them, and love them, more than you trust and love yourself. 

Walking away from a mediocre love doesn’t make you greedy.

You don’t have to take the high road. You don’t have to be the bigger person. 

Even though you aren’t giving anyone else the chance to hurt you, you’re hurting yourself.

You don’t have to have a huge falling out with someone in order to remove them from your life. If you simply aren’t interested in talking to them, in hanging out with them, in putting effort into them, then you can leave.

Little things add up. They make a relationship stronger.

Don’t stay single because you’re scared of falling in love. Because you’re scared of getting attached. Because you’re scared of something real.

You don’t want to be with someone who demands every second of your time, who expects you to pay attention to them and only them without leaving room for anything else that makes you feel fulfilled.

You never want your partner to feel neglected, like they’re a bother, or like you’re only with them because you feel obligated to stay.

You are going to survive this heartache, this obstacle, this pain. 

Toxic humans aren’t going to appreciate the effort you put into the relationship — and they aren’t going to match it.

You should be wise enough to recognize when you’re struggling, to ask for help when you need it, to reach out for a helping hand.

They should never leave you wondering whether they care, whether they’re paying attention, whether they’re excited to come home to you.

If you want an excuse to remain in the exact same place, then you’re going to find it. You can always come up with more reasons why you shouldn’t take the risk you’ve been dreaming about every night and day. There’s always going to be some sort of obstacle in your way, warning you it’s too hard to make a change.

You never know what someone is going through behind closed doors, not even your closest friends, so make sure you treat them with as much kindness as you can carry. 

You have to listen to your heart over your history.