Dating in the modern era is difficult. It’s messy, it’s full of unknowns, and honestly, it can get pretty daunting at times. Long gone are the days of simplicity, when people said what they meant, and told you how they feel. Today, dating is full of deception and mind games.
Finding someone and falling in love has never been this difficult.
So, in order to navigate these rough waters that we call modern dating, often times we compromise. We date someone even though we know in our guts that they aren’t the one for us, because we’re too scared to get back out there. We stay in relationships with people we tolerate, but don’t really love, because we’re not sure if there’s anything better, or how to find it. We constantly hear horror stories from our friends or their friends about first dates, blind dates, online dating etc. and we decide to settle for less.
Well, I’m here to tell you to stop.
Stop compromising when it comes to love. Don’t settle for less because you’re scared of what’s out there. Don’t accept a love that is less than what you deserve because you’re afraid you won’t find the one that you do.
Use your past experience to help you figure out what you want, or what you don’t want. Make a mental (or physical if you prefer) list of what you want in a partner and wait for someone who ticks all your boxes. Obviously, make sure that the list is reasonable, but then stick to it. Don’t settle for someone that ticks just one box, wait for the whole package.
Know your deal breakers, and know when to walk away.
If you promised yourself you would never date a smoker, don’t date a smoker. If you want kids and your partner doesn’t, let them go.
This doesn’t mean that they are a bad person, they’re just not the right person for you.
Don’t compromise, because somewhere down the line that deal-breaker will push you apart.
Don’t accept a love that is less than what you deserve just because you’re lonely. If someone doesn’t treat you well, don’t stay with them because it’s better than being alone. Trust me when I tell you that it’s not.
At a time when all your friends’ relationships are plastered all over social media, it’s easy to find yourself making comparisons. Don’t do it. Just because your best friend is engaged and living with their significant other doesn’t mean that you have to be.
Sometimes, we stay with the wrong person because we are too lazy to go searching for the right one. Getting to know someone takes time, and figuring out if they’re right for you takes energy. I know it’s not easy, but make the time. It will be worth it.
The time you waste with someone that you know isn’t right for you is time you could be spending finding the one that is.
Please don’t settle when it comes to love. We make compromises frequently in our daily lives, but love shouldn’t be one of those compromises. You deserve a love that is full of passion and adoration. A love where you can’t wait to see them and miss them every minute you’re apart. You deserve a love that gives you butterflies and makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning. Anything else is less than you deserve. 
