What I Learned from Past Relationships

Happy Valentine's Day! Since it's the day of love and all, I thought this post would be totally appropriate for this monumentous (frivolous) holiday. ❤

I dated a lot before I got married, and as a result I experienced more than a handful of breakups. Some of my relationships were short, some were long, some were terrible, but all taught me a little something about me or about life in general. Here, in no order of importance, is a little of what I learned.

+ How to stand up for my values
+ To love my body the way it was made
+ My goals and interests in life are important, and worth fighting for
+ That my basic relationship needs are important
+ To love who I am and not try to be who people think I should
+ Someone who makes you laugh constantly is worth pursuing
+ Patience is a skill worth attaining
+ How to have fun
+ Love never involves superiority
+ How important it is to be a go-getter
+ Commitment isn't hard, if it is, it's time to move on
+ Forgiveness is vital to longevity in relationships
+ True progress comes from loving yourself enough to fight for yourself

When I look at this list, it has one common thread, positivity. It's interesting that I compiled a list of positive attributes I've learned about life from all my past relationships. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I'd have said there was no way I could see some of them as positive. It's funny how, over time, life has a way of cleaning the past of all it's confusing garbage, and just shows us what's real with such crystal clarity. Maybe this is the beginning of wisdom with age, or maybe I've just paid a therapist enough money to help me see past all the mess.

Either way, I'm thankful for all my old relationships. Even though some of them were more stress than I should have ever let myself deal with, they have shaped me into who I am now, and I wouldn't want to miss out on this version of who I've become.

++ What valuable life lessons have you learned from any of your past relationships?  

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