I believe love is never enough; you must like each other too.
I believe you have the right to be judged, praised and “punished” according to your own words and actions (not on the words and actions of the douchebags, crazy chicks or emotional abusers your partner may have dated in the past.)
I believe you have the right to be told the absolute truth about the important things (and to be kindly lied to about the stupid stuff. Because sometimes being too honest to someone you love is the cruelest thing you can do.)
I believe that special man or woman in your life should be 100% in your corner and take your side in a fight (even if they think you’re totally wrong.)
I believe love comes from vulnerability and that the fastest way to true intimacy is to be bold and naked and admit to your deepest fears (even if they scare you; even if you feel like you’re not “supposed” to have them.)
I believe you never have to apologize for your emotions (but that just because you feel something doesn’t mean you’re right.)
I believe eggshells shouldn’t be walked on; they should be stomped. Anyone who demands you change who you are to be with them isn’t someone you should have in your life in the first place.
I believe perfectionism is a plague and that truly loving your partner means embracing and loving their flaws.
I believe you have a right to be forgiven and to be accepted for the fluid human you are.
I believe a relationship doesn’t have to last forever to be a success.
I believe 99.9% of what your partner says or does has absolutely nothing to do with you; the faster you figure this out the happier you will be.
I believe you deserve a partner who encourages you to be the best you can be; who accepts that you will evolve; who never tries to change the fundamental truth of who you are.
I believe sex is important and that you have the right to regular, eager, nonjudgmental and enthusiastic sex with a partner who worships your body and would crawl over broken glass to give you an orgasm or multiple orgasms for that matter.
I believe you have a right to be friends with whoever you want no matter what kind of genitals they have.
I believe you have a right to be one of your partner’s top 3 priorities at any given time (but that expecting to be their number one priority always is a recipe for misery, disappointment and loneliness.)
I believe you deserve a partner who sticks by you on the bad days, months and years and helps you get back to the good.
I believe all romances are both comedies and tragedies; it just depends when you stop talking.
I believe every woman deserves to be told she is beautiful, and every man deserves to be told he is handsome randomly and passionately and with no expectation of receiving anything in return.
I believe it is your life and your heart and your body and you have the right to leave any relationship at any time.
I believe expectations are toxic and that happiness comes not from judging your partner according to what a husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend “should” be but from a deep and abiding curiosity about what’s going to happen next. Live in the present moment!
I believe you are worthy of love. You deserve love. And that first step to experiencing truly astonishing, connected love with a man or woman who understands you, accepts your flaws and gets stars in their eyes when you walk into a room is to learn to love yourself first.
I believe in you. I believe you are strong. I believe you are ready to forgive yourself and let go of the fear and pain and bitterness of all your broken hearts and disappointed desires. I believe you are ready for the truth.
I believe being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared; it means you take a deep breath and go after what you yearn for even when you’re terrified.
Whew!
Feel the pounding in your chest? Feel the sweat on your palms? Feel all your buried passion come bubbling to the surface? Close your eyes. Smile. Your journey to a love and a relationship they write songs about starts right here, right inside of you.