Holly Riordan

When you’re with the wrong person, they might bring you down. They might make you question whether you have what it takes to succeed. They might encourage you to give up on your dreams. They might warn you to play it safe. They might stifle you. 

You’re strong for leaving him, even if you’ve cried every night since you’ve left him. 

There’s a difference between inviting someone to hang out and begging someone to hang out after they’ve already canceled on you the last three times you set plans.

Removing them from your world isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a decision you have to make over and over again every single holiday, every single birthday, every single day. 

You see him break down in tears and completely forget about your own tears.

It takes time to build a loving, trusting relationship.

Angry exes would airdrop nude photos of the girls who dumped them. Jocks would airdrop pictures of penises in the locker room. Boys would airdrop photos taken from the second story, looking down girls’ shirts.

You’re afraid he’s going to leave you over one of your screwups. You’re afraid the smallest argument is going to escalate into a breakup. You’re afraid any type of confrontation is going to be the death of your relationship. 

If you assumed this other person was out of your league, then you probably didn’t spend too much time chasing after them. You probably admitted defeat pretty early on. You probably didn’t give yourself a fighting chance to get together with them.

Bring up everything they’ve ever done wrong.

Get annoyed with her the one time she doesn’t rush to your side. 

Sometimes, your worst moments put your priorities into perspective. Sometimes, your worst moments make you realize you need to make a change. Sometimes, your worst moments are turning points that can launch you in another direction. 

People look at you more like a background character in a film than an actual, flesh and blood human being. They don’t think you have emotions. They don’t think you have a personality. They don’t think you have an opinion. 

I keep reminding myself that taking a small step back does not mean I’m a failure and should give up on whatever I’m trying to accomplish. It means I only need to take a single step forward to get back on track.

The happiest girls are the ones who never wonder whether they are falling behind because they realize there is no such thing.

You used to be an optimist. You used to be sweet and starry-eyed. You weren’t always this cynical. You weren’t always this short-tempered. The world made you this way. The people in your past made you this way.

I have a hard time walking away from toxic situations because I always find a reason to stay. I always see the best in the worst people. 

If you lie to me once, I’m going to start questioning your motives, questioning your morals, questioning whether you have any respect for me.