Don't get me wrong--boys are awesome. The majority of my household consists of the male kind, and though it has been indescribably difficult at times, life with them has been pretty fun-filled. I think that a lot of the problems boys tend to cause for girls starts when dating comes into the picture. Crushes can happen at a very young age, and some kids have quite a few boyfriends or girlfriends before they reach their teenage years. As kids become older, they begin to take the whole concept of a relationship more seriously. Then again, it really depends on the person. There are those who may never reach the point of taking relationships seriously, but most of the time, it isn't hard to figure out who those people are. Once kids become mature enough to be able to decipher what types of things are needed to make a relationship work, they are able to determine what they are looking for in a boyfriend or girlfriend.
When you start to like someone, it can prove to be a challenge to try to get that person to notice you. If they never do, the likelihood of the situation is that the person who has the crush will simply move on to someone else. But sometimes, that boy you like will begin to pay attention to you, and it makes you feel confident and hopeful. Or maybe the boy is the one who convinced you to pay attention to him. Regardless of how the two of you found a connection, it was there, and by that point, you couldn't help but be happy. If the hanging out and liking each other gets a bit more serious, it's probable that those two will become boyfriend and girlfriend. At first, the relationship is really not much more than getting to know each other more and having fun. As time progresses, there's usually a point where you can decide to let it go or stay and see what happens. As long as you still have feelings for the person and enjoy them, it's likely that you'd choose to stick with them. However, what many people fail to realize is that there are only two possible outcomes from any dating relationship: you either break up or eventually get married. Yes, some people choose to just live together and never get married, but for the most part, these two outcomes are accurate.
Now that I've written a lengthy introduction to the purpose of this article, here is what I want to stress to all those who are currently dating or are looking to date: find someone who brings out the best in you. There have been too many occurrences of girls who end up with broken hearts and a lack of self-esteem. Often times, young girls have no idea what a healthy relationship is supposed to consist of. This is why many of them end up compromising for what they think is a good relationship.
If a boy is not treating you with respect, if he is not making you feel as if you're full of worth and beauty, and if he is not proving that you are a priority in his life, there should be no reason to continue your relationship. Of course, being respected, feeling confident about yourself, and believing you are a priority can all be interpreted in different ways. If you are in a situation where you are infatuated with a boy or feel that you could never break up with him, there is still a chance that he could be extremely disrespectful and is hindering your self-confidence. How do I know? I've been there, and I hope that every relationship where the boy is not treating the girl as a treasure comes to an abrupt halt. It is so easy to become blinded by your feelings that you don't even realize that one of the people you "love" most in the world is actually destroying you. There will be instances where you just write it off because you think that since you "love" that person, you have to love every part of them--even the parts of them that make you feel worthless. Remember this: you never have to compromise or put up with someone who makes you feel like anything less than what you are--a beautiful, unique, amazing girl who has the power to change the world. You are one-of-a-kind, and you should not waste your time on any boy who makes you feel like anything less than that.
It's time to take off the blindfold of infatuation and put on the glasses of reality so that you can see who you are compared to how your boyfriend treats you. If there is anything in you that questions whether or not you are being treated right, you can do one of two things: run away, or open up to your special someone and tell them how you feel. If the relationship is worth it to him, he will be glad to try his very best to treat you with the utmost respect. Keep in mind that you deserve so much more than being objectified and/or treated like you are not worth treasuring. Always remember that you should not find your worth in whether or not you have a boyfriend. God has perfect timing, and if you haven't found the perfect guy for you, know that your time for finding him is approaching. Get ready, and become the best woman you can be in preparation for him. He's been waiting for you, too.
If there are boys reading this, don't think I forgot about you. First of all, remember to treat any girlfriend you have like a princess because she deserves it and most likely needs it. It is difficult to find a girl who has not struggled tremendously with viewing herself as full of worth. Society makes it exceedingly difficult to have self-confidence, so be sure to remind her of her worth and beauty and any other traits you love about her. If you feel that you are being disrespected, don't be afraid to run away. Some girls don't intend on sticking with a relationship for the long-haul, and some just have no idea how to properly treat a boy. If you are waiting for the right girl, have no fear. She is out there somewhere looking for you, and now is the time to practice how to treat a lady by respecting your mom, sister, or any other female in your life.
Although there is no such thing as a "perfect" relationship, there are such things as a good, healthy one and an extremely bad one. Hopefully, I have been able to give a clear distinction of these two relationships, and you have decided what step to take from here. There is no reason to stick around anyone who makes you feel worthless, and there is always time to become a better you for the person you are meant to be with. Fortunately, there are some great guys and girls out there, and if you're lucky, you may find one pretty early in life. But it is so very easy to believe you deserve less than what you do because of the way you are being treated. Boys (and girls) can blind you from seeing who you are, and it's up to you to determine if you need to remove your blindfold...starting now.
