Remember the days when you sat on your couch watching princess movies and staring at “Prince Charming”? I do. For me, it was watching the love story of Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel. Regardless of the princess story you watched, some type of romantic love connection existed that you envied and only hoped and dreamed of one day having. Well, it suffices to say that times have changed and the idea of falling in love with your “Prince Charming” seems pretty unrealistic. Why is this?

Well, it’s because of: Netflix and chill. Friends with benefits. Booty calls. These aforementioned terms are just a few commonalities of the very casual society in which we live, and they are essentially just various terms that stand for “detachment.” We live in a very disconnected and dispassionate society, and for many of us, we spend a lot of time falling in and out of this purgatory of “not knowing” what we are with another person. How many times has someone told you that they don’t want to be "exclusive" with you? How many times has someone not taken you out on actual dates, but has invited you to sleep over at midnight? What does any of that mean? What ARE you? This type of casualty allows people to sit in a state of confusion and pain, because they worry they are not enough.

We are used to never being "enough" and to never being the one to bring home to mom and dad, which is why the feeling of someone wanting you the way you want them is absolutely terrifying. Such a feeling is terrifying, but yet it is the most electrifying moment of one's life. Up until the moment when you meet “your person,” most time is spent in a state of emotional turmoil. Then, one day, you will meet someone unlike any other. You feel this fire move through your body when you’re with them, and it’s scary because society tells us it’s not normal. It’s almost abnormal anymore to feel that kind of intimacy with one person, but it’s possible and you need to know not to run away from it when it’s there.

Because of the popularity of casual relationships, we are all scared. We are too frightened to share ourselves with others because we fear rejection. We fear not being loved and wanted to the fullest extent, and with good reason. Society tells us to keep things casual and emotionless. We say “you’re so wifed” or “you’re so whipped” as if they are bad things. What’s wrong with being with one person, and being happy to be so dedicated? Don’t run away from happiness because you’re afraid to be in some kind of emotional turmoil that society has created as an expectation. Take the risk. Go with your gut feeling, and let yourself be with that someone special.

It’s not everyday that you meet someone who sends shivers down your spine. Who looks you deep in the eyes when they talk to you. Who makes you laugh non-stop for hours. Who you could just lay with for hours on end. It’s terrifying to meet someone who makes you feel those things, because you don’t want to have to feel like you need someone. Don’t let that fear stop you from being with someone that makes you feel so great. Nothing is more gratifying and special than spending your time with an incredible human who makes you feel like you're on cloud 9.

Ignore the movies that depict “friends-with-benefits” and show that relationships are complicated and impossible. Pay no mind to the unchivalrous state the general population of men is currently in. Know that the Prince Charming you watched growing up is real. You will find yours, and when you do, don’t run from him. Embrace him. Exclusivity and commitment are beautiful components that fill a person's heart. Allow love. It’s the greatest of all things, and if you go at it with an open heart and bright eyes, you will find that your relationship with that special someone will be one of the most breath-taking experiences of your life.