There are few things in this life I am apologetic for. And having high standards is not one of them. Love is one of the strangest and most powerful experiences an individual can have, and it makes all of the difference in a person’s existence. It’s a natural human desire to want to love and to be loved. But, we need to be more careful about whose hands we will place our hearts in. Because when we find a person who we honor with our love, we may choose to share our lives with them, and that person who has the privilege of living through the highs and lows of our lives shouldn’t just be tolerated.
How many times have you wasted moments of your life angered, frustrated or upset over someone who proved to be less than you hoped for and exactly what you expected? Someone who didn’t treat you with enough respect? Someone who simply was not worthy of your love? We waste too much time on relationships that do these things to us, and that is not OK. The opportunity to love someone is the greatest gift any person can give to another and I don’t think we should provide that opportunity lightly to the general public. I want someone to earn my trust and my respect. I want someone to work to understand my quirks, to be vulnerable so I can understand theirs. But more than anything, I want to live alongside my partner, building one another up and being able to look at that person and think, “How in the world did I get so lucky?” And I won’t settle until that feeling is mine.
How do we get to this point? We may have to date the wrong people. We may have to give people a chance and get to know them. Learn what we like about them and what we don't. But we can’t waste time in these relationships when we know they aren’t right for us. Spending time ‘trying to make it work’ is always a bust. If it doesn’t work now, it probably never will. Dating the wrong people can lead you to dating the right people. Hated that Dating Partner No. 5 had a bad relationship with his or her family? Then steer clear of Dating Partner No. 11 who can’t stand his or hers. As with everything, you can only truly learn what makes you mad with happiness or crazy with anger until you’ve felt it. And once you begin to learn what you really want in another person, and from yourself, you can be certain to be closer to finding the person whose life will weave its way in and out of your own in amazing ways.
We should never sell ourselves short and close our hearts and minds because we are content. Often women and men get reputations for being picky when it comes to their life partners. But screw that. Don’t fret over people thinking you’re a bitch or an asshole. You only live once and if you’re going to invite another human being to spend that lifetime with you, then you should make sure that you truly want them there and that they make you a better, more whole person in the process. The rule is to never give up a part of you for someone else. Look for someone who will live in tandem with you and who will build you up and remind you that you are worthy of everything you desire. You are magnificent. You are wonderful. And your partner should be as well. And never. Ever. Ever. Feel badly about putting your happiness first.
