The hardest part about moving on is the fear of getting hurt again. When you are with a toxic person for a long time, you get used to it –the mistreatment, the pain, and the unhappiness. You cannot even imagine what it would be like to be happy in a relationship because that ship had sailed so long ago. Do not lose hope.

First of all, you need to know your worth. If by any means, you are being abused, manipulated, or just treated poorly in general, there is no one forcing you to stay in that relationship. You have the power to walk away, even if it takes time and even if you need a little bit of help doing so. It doesn’t matter how much you “love him.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he doesn’t feel the same. He just likes the fact that he thinks he’s trapped you, but any man that truly loved you would never belittle you like that.

What you deserve is someone who looks at you every day like you are gold and who treats you like the princess that you deserve to be treated as. Now I don’t mean that they need to buy you everything and anything they possibly can. They just need to love you, and I mean really love you, and show it through their actions.

I know right now it seems impossible. You fell in love with a boy who treats you like crap. You fell in love with a boy who does more harm to you than good. You fell in love with a boy that rains on your happiness and drowns it. But sweetie, you need a man who is your rainbow after that storm.

There are good men in this world. Someday, you will find what you’re looking for... or maybe not. I didn’t. I found something much greater than that.

I finally found a man that loves every inch of my body, even though I hate it. He kisses every curve like it’s a work of art, and he never fails to make me feel beautiful. I finally found a man that misses me, even though we see each other every single day. I finally found a man that knows me like the back of his hand, and knows what I need and want and gives me whatever he possibly can. I finally found a man that loves me back, the same way that I love him, and does not take advantage of me.

Staying in an unhealthy relationship can keep both of you from finding your way and moving to the next level in your life. Sometimes the best way to save someone is to walk away. Real love sometimes means saying goodbye –and you deserve it. You deserve that real love. Do not ever settle for less than you deserve.

I want your next goal to be to wake up one day and walk away from that toxic person. Find happiness within yourself and stop settling for the pain, and then when you least expect it, someone better will come along. I want you to go from being miserable with someone who treats you badly, to being mesmerized and completely infatuated with someone who would give you the entire world if they could. I promise you, it gets better, and you can do it.