We love, we get hurt, we forgive, we let go, we move on and we hopefully learn from our mistakes. Here are a few lessons that I’ve gathered from past experiences and friends’ venting sessions.
Don’t fall in love with someone that you know you cannot be with eventually. All the talk of ‘better to be happy for a few months’ is UTTER CRAP! You will be heart broken if you let yourself fall in love, so the key is, if you really know that you cannot be with the person, look at the relationship as a lesson and life experience and just cherish it as that.
Don’t fall in love with someone who refuses to tell his/her family about your relationship, especially after you have been together for 2-3 years. You DO NOT want to be with someone who does not have the guts to confront his/her loved ones about you. You will end up feeling useless and honestly, it just goes to show that you really are not important.
Don't sacrifice your religion.Don’t consider changing your religion for your partner in the hope that he/she would tell his/her family about you (related to previous point). If your partner cannot accept you for who you are, then he/she is not worth it.
Don’t fall in love with someone who already has a partner. Yes, I’m referring to cheating and being the ‘other’ one. It is wrong, wrong, wrong no matter how much you try to defend it. In addition to the warning signs that the person is dishonest, and is willing to hurt someone else – you should know that he/she will probably do the same thing to you if you were in a proper relationship. So, if you do manage to land yourself in this royal mess, keep your guard up and do not fall in love! Also, it will hurt like mad when you see him/her hanging out with his/her real partner. Not worth it!
Don’t fall in love with someone who refuses to make it official. ‘Friends with benefits’ and ‘intimate friends’ are just better sounding terms for ‘I’m actually using you for physical reasons and can’t be bothered to care two cents about you’.
Don’t fall in love with someone who hasn’t gotten over his/her ex. If he/she even dares compare you to the ex, send your partner packing! Tell your so called beloved to figure out who they want to be with, and don’t waste your time trying to brainstorm ways to win him/her over. What they shared has nothing to do with you two; clean slates are required for a relationship to work!
Don’t fall in love with compulsive liars. If you are dating someone who easily lies to other people (parents, boss, friends), there is a good chance that you are being lied to as well. The best way to stay out of trouble in a relationship is to tell the truth. And no, the usual excuse of ‘I didn’t want to tell you because you would get hurt’ is absolute nonsense. Most truths eventually surface with time, and by then, it is too late to forgive and forget.
Don’t fall in love with someone who is overprotective. It is your life. You are entitled to have your alone time, to do the things you want to do. If your partner doesn’t give you the freedom to do this and you feel trapped, then you may as well end the relationship. Common issue for girls - he doesn’t want other guys to hit on you. For guys - she doesn’t like your gang of mates. Remember that everyone needs their own space.
Don’t drop your family or friends for your partner. At the end of the day, your family and close friends are more important – value their opinions. These are the people who know you best, and if they advise you not to be with your partner, listen to their suggestions and reason things with them. Some people drop their friends the moment they have found the ‘one’, leaving them with no one to fall back on if they are dumped.
