Holly Riordan

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell whether the person you’re interested in dating has good intentions or whether they’re only stringing you along.

Almost relationships can break your heart harder than any flat-out rejection ever could. After all, when someone rejects you right away, at least you know where you stand with them.

Toxic humans are never going to meet you halfway. They are never going to come to a mature, healthy, adult agreement with you.

You’ll feel bad about having nothing to add to a conversation. When there’s a lull in conversation or you have trouble answering a text, you might feel like you’re a terrible conversationalist.

You don’t have to give them another chance just because they’re asking for one, because they’re down on their knees, because they’re crying about how much they love you and couldn’t imagine living without you.

Getting back together might be tempting, but you need to remember why you walked away in the first place.

They will make you feel trapped. They will convince you that no one else will ever love you the way that they love you.

Love is about spreading a blanket across your partner when they fall asleep on the couch watching movies. Turning the car on for them and scraping ice off the windows so they have an easy morning.

Relationships can be hard work – but they should also feel safe, comfortable, and fun. They should be a source of joy, not stress.

Maybe they have a busy life. Maybe there are other things on their mind. Maybe they are swamped with responsibilities that are bigger than you and them.

It’s scary to get into a new relationship with a new person because you’re giving them the potential to break your heart. You’re allowing them to hold a certain amount of power over you.

It’s never easy to get over a heartbreak, whether you were in a long-term relationship or had a huge crush that lasted years. However, it’s always possible to move on.

You’re not selfish for saying no when someone asks you to do something that makes you uncomfortable. You’re allowed to have standards. You’re allowed to assert boundaries.

Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because your feelings for them were strong – even if they weren’t returned completely. Even if you never ended up getting the official label that you were waiting for.

Don’t waste your energy on someone who ghosted you. Don’t settle for someone who isn’t able to do the bare minimum for you.

Some people are meant to come into your world for short periods of time before parting ways with you. That doesn’t make the relationship any less meaningful — but it can make it incredibly painful.

Say goodbye to your almost because they might never become more. They might always keep you hovering on the edge of a relationship, begging for more, waiting for scraps.

Starting from scratch is scary. You don’t want to leave behind everything that you’ve built with this other person.